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Li'Ki      JV?" '  V :. ' 


FIFTY  YEARS  OF  TRAVEL 
LAND  WATER  &  AIR 


Presented  to  the 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO 
LIBRARY 

by  the 

ONTARIO  LEGISLATIVE 
LIBRARY 


1980 


I 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/fiftyyearsoftravOObutluoft 


FIFTY  YEARS  OF 
TRAVEL  BY  LAND, 
WATER,    AND    AIR 


THROUGH  LAPLAND  WITH 
SKIS    AND    REINDEER       with 

SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  ANCIENT  LAP- 
LAND    AND       THE       MURMAN       COAST. 

By  Frank  Hedges  Butler,  F.R.G.S.,  Founder 
of  the  Royal  Aero  Club,  First  Hon.  Treasurer, 
Royal  Automobile  Club,  1897-1902.  With  4 
Maps  and  65   Illustrations.      Cloth,   12/6   net. 

[Third  Impression. 

"Mr.  Hedges  Butler's  vivacious  narrative  is  the  more 
interesting  since  so  little  is  really  known  of  the  region  he 
describes.  .  .  .  Mr.  Butler  has  a  pleasant  descriptive  style 
of  his  own  :  the  country  and  the  people  become  very  plain 
to  us,  for  all  their  strangeness,  as  he  writes  ;  while  the 
anecdotes  of  his  own  personal  experiences  have  a  racy 
flavour.  Also — and  of  how  few  volumes  of  travels  can  we 
say  the  same  ? — the  book  is  a  reliable  as  well  as  a  pleasant 
guide  ;  invaluable  information  as  to  routes,  roads,  and  means 
of  communication  generally  are  all  here  put  unreservedly  at 
the  reader's  disposal." — The  Outlook. 

"  For  the  first  time  in  English  and  by  an  Englishman  we 
have  here  a  substantial  account  of  the  people  of  Lapland." — 
The  Friend. 

"A  very   informing    and   entertaining  volume." — Daily 

Telegraph. 

"  This  is  a  very  interesting  and  informative  book,  and  we 
heartily  congratulate  Mr.  Butler  upon  it." — The  Sphere. 

"  A  fascinating  account  of  the  country  and  its  people.  .  .  . 
It  is  at  once  a  fascinating  story  of  travel,  a  practical  guide- 
book and  a  storehouse  of  interesting  information  on  the 
manners,  custom,  and  folk-lore  of  a  little-known  people." — 
World's  Work. 

"  The  author's  description  of  the  country  and  its  people  is 
intensely  interesting." — Manchester  Guardian. 

"  One  seems  in  reading  this  book  to  be  transported  into 
another  world.  .  .  .  Its  great  charm  is  its  practical  character 
and  unaffected  simplicity  of  style.  Every  sentence  is  packed 
with  information.  .  .  .  The  volume  is  illustrated  by  a  large 
number  of  interesting  photographs,  from  which  much  can 
be  learnt  regarding  the  mode  of  life  and  customs  of  the 
Laplanders. " — Illustrated  London  News. 

"  Prospective  adventurers  and  winter  sports  enthusiasts  in 
search  of  new  ski-ing  grounds  will  simply  have  to  buy  Mr. 
Butler's  book." — The  Bookman. 

T-  Fisher  Unwin  Ltd,  i  Adelphi  Terrace,  London,  W.C. 


Frontispiece. 


4  7243  ^v'VF^^ 


FIFTY    YEARS     Oif^o^ 
TRAVEL    BY    LAND 
WATER,    AND     AIR 

By     FRANK     HEDGES     BUTLER 

FOUNDER  OF  THE  ROYAL  AERO  CLUB   IQOI   7 

s 
47243 


WITH   89   ILLUSTRATIONS 


T.    FISHER    UNWIN    LTD        x^^fS^^^^^ 
LONDON:    ADELPHI    TERRACE  ^<:^'^        J^ 

ONTAR 


G 


First  published  in  7920 


(All  rights  reserved) 


DEDICATED 
TO   MY   DAUGHTER 

VERA 


TRAVELLING  IN  THE  AIR 

For  I  dipt  into  the  future,  far  as  human  eye  could  see, 

Saw  the  vision  of  the  world,  and  all  the  wonder  that  would  be  ; 

Saw  the  heavens  fill  with  commerce,  argosies  of  magic  sails, 

Pilots  of  the  pm-ple  twilight,  dropping  down  with  costly 
bales  ; 

Heard  the  heavens  fill  with  shouting,  and  there  rained  a 
ghastly  dew 

From  the  nations'  airy  navies,  grappling  in  the  central  blue  ; 

Far  along  the  world-wide  whisper  of  the  south  wind  rushing 
warm, 

With  the  standards  of  the  people  plunging  thro'  the  thunder- 
storm. 

TENNYSOIf. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

PAGK 

BOYHOOD  AND  EARLT  TBAVELS  .       .       .       .       .17 

Early  reading — Parentage — Diaries  of  the  Grand  Tour — Child- 
hood in  Wimbledon — Schooldays — First  visit  to  France — ^A 
walking  tour  in  Switzerland — Paris  after  the  Commune — 
Switzerland  again — Norway — America — The  Great  Lakes — A 
Mediterranean  tour. 


CHAPTER   II 
THE   WEST   INDIES,    BRITISH   GUIANA,    AND   VENEZUELA  .      33 

Jamaica — Barbadoes — Trinidad — Flying-fish — Porlama — Nava- 
tino — Maturin — The  Valley  of  the  Guacharo — The  Guacharo 
Caves — The  Guacharo — Guacharo  fat — El  Cueva  del  Silenzio — 
El  Cueva  del  Diamantes — Bolivar — Indians — Guana-guana — 
The  River  Tigre — The  howling  monkey — Bolivar — Gold-mines — 
Jungle  fever. 

CHAPTER   III 
THE   VINEYARDS   OF  FRANCE,    SPAIN  AND   PORTUGAL      .  .      55 

Bordeaux — The  Medoc  district — Chateau  Lafite — The  vintage — 
Wine-tasting — Biarritz — The  Paris  Exhibition — ^A  captive 
balloon — Spain — The  Count  and  Countess  of  Bayona — Jerez — 
Sherry — Carthusians  at  Cartuja — Gipsies  at  Jerez — Shooting — 
Bulls — Seville — Cordova — Granada — The  Alhambra — Andalu- 
sian  gipsies — Malaga — Oporto — Vintage  in  the  Alto  Douro — 
Ports — The   Phylloxera   Conunission — Clubs   at   Oporto. 

CHAPTER   IV 
PALESTINE,    INDIA  AND  CEYLON   .  .  .  .  .67 

Marriage — A  Mediterranean  cruise — Jafia  for  Jerusalem — Jeru- 
salem at  Easter — Tour  through  India,  Burmah  and  Ceylon — 
Bombay,  Madras  —  Peshawar — Jeypore  —  Agra  —  The  Taj — 
Meerut — Peshawar — The  Khyber — Murree — Cashmere — Serina- 
gur — Travelling  in  Cashmere — Cashmeri  boat-girls — Calcutta — 
Rangoon — A  trip  up  the  Irrawaddy — The  Andamans — Convicts 
— Ceylon — The  Veddahs — Kandy — The  Veddah  coimtry — Back 
to  Colombo. 

9 


10  FIFTY  YEARS  OF  TRAVEL 

CHAPTER  V 

PAoa 

EARLY   DAYS   OF   MOTORING  .  .  .  .  .90 

Early  cars — The  Tonbridge  Show — Fourteen  miles  an  hour — 
The  Brighton  Run — The  Automobile  Club — Chairmen  of  the 
Club — Life  members — My  first  car — Lenoir,  Daimler,  Benz, 
Panhard,  Levassor — Early  days  on  the  road — "  Eve  " — The 
R.A.C.  Thousand  Mile  Totir — A  Renault  car — The  Renault 
brothers — From  Paris  to  Nice — Dogs  and  carts — Nice,  Monte 
Carlo,  Cannes — Grenoble — Le  Grande  Chartreuse — ^A  thief — 
Chasseurs  Alpins — Back  to  Paris. 

CHAPTER   VI 
MOROCCO  :   A  JOURNEY   TO   TETUAN  ....    118 

Christmas  at  Gibraltar — Tangiers — ^A  visit  to  Tetuan — Rumours 
of  rebels — Ramadan — An  inn — Trouble  at  the  gate — ^Visits  to 
harems — Rebels  and  rivers — Casa  Blanca — ^Mazagau — Teneriffe, 
Madeira — Madeira  wines. 

CHAPTER  VII 
LAPLAND  AND   ITS   PEOPLE  .  .  .  .  .129 

Rattvik  in  Dalecarlia — St.  Olaf's  Church — Storlien — The  Snasa- 
hogma  and  the  Sylarna. — Tannforsen — Fefor,  Finse — Winter 
sports — Lapland — The  fifth  visit — Bosskop — A  Lapland  winter 
— The  puCka — Preparations  for  a  journey — Lapp  clothing — 
Lapp  shoes — Through  the  Alten  forest  by  pulka — Reindeer  and 
wolves — Lapp  food — Reindeer — Frost-bite  —  A  rest-house — 
Havoc  by  wolves — Ravnastuen,  Karasjok — The  Lensman  of 
Karasjok — Ski-running — The  River  Iskarajoki — Russian  Lap- 
land— Pine  and  fir  forests — Frozen  waterways — The  Tana 
River — Lapp  women — Lapp  dogs — Enare — An  empty  prison — 
Lapp  honesty — A  vapour- bath — Lake  Enare — Kirkeness,  Vadso 
— In  Russia — Travelling  through  storms — Ptarmigan  at  Skolteby 
— The  Petchenga  fjeld — Sunday  at  the  Petchenga  monastery 
— Tryphon — The  Murman  coast — Summer  on  the  coast — 
Characteristics  of  the  Lapps — Easter  at  Karesuando — Lapp 
church-goers — Lapp  weddings  and  honeymoons. 

CHAPTER   VIII 
Bia-GAME   HUNTING   IN   EAST   AFRICA         ....    177 

British  East  Africa  and  Uganda — The  Red  Sea — Mi".  Seloua — 
Mombasa — Dar-es-Salaam — Harsh  treatment  of  natives  by 
Germans — Native  askari — Sporting  licences — Species  of  game 
preserved — Species  protected — Game  reserves — Entebbe — The 
Ripon  Falls — Hippopotami  and  crocodiles — Kampala — The  King 
of  Uganda — Hunting  hippopotami  and  crocodiles — The  Kavi- 
rondos — A  funeral — The  Kikuyus — A  lion-hunt — A  kill — The 
delights  of  safari — Home  via  Cairo — A  white  man's  country. 


CONTENTS  11 

CHAPTER  IX 

PAGB 

THE   WORLD  AT  WAR  ......    217 

On  board  H.M .S.  Princess  Royal — Sent  ashore — The  Fleet  sails — 
To  Paris — Paris  in  danger — My  diaries — F^re-Champenoise, 
Chalons — Epernay — M.  Pol  Roger — Reims — Damage  to  the 
cathedral — Refugees  in  the  champagne -cellars — Visits  to  various 
champagne  houses — ^A  night  attack — Vintage. 

CHAPTER  X 
THB  WORLD  AT  WAR  (contintied)  ....  236 

France  in  1913 — ^Ambulances  and  hospitals  at  Boulogne — To 
Epernay — The  vintage — ^A  proclamation  by  Joffre — The  Ger- 
mans in  Epernay — ^A  good  vintage — ^A  domiciliary  visit — Back 
to  Reims — The  cathedral — Pare  Pommery — Mass  in  Mumm'a 
cellars — A  visit  to  the  trenches — Betheny — Observation  posts — 
The  cellars  of  the  Lion  d'Or — Guns  in  Pare  Pommery — Ruinart's 
cellars — School  in  the  cellars — Submarines  reported — Reims  in 
1916 — Lord  NorthcUffe  on  Reims — More  aeroplanes — Mass  in 
the  cellars — ^A  fight  in  the  air — An  underground  concert — 
Children  in  the  cellars. 

CHAPTER  XI 
THB  WORLD  AT  WAR  (continued)  ....  263 

The  Somme  Campaign — ^Wimereux — ^Nancy — ^^Vine  for  the 
Army — Toul — Visits  to  vine  growers — "  Poilu  "  wine — ChSlons 
— A  visit  from  the  police — Mr.  Lloyd  George  arrives  in  Reims — 
The  war  to  last  two  years  longer — Sarah  Bernhardt — Tasting 
champagne — The  Cardinal — Epernay  once  more — Beaune — 
German  prisoners  —  Chissy — Boulogne,  and  home — Reims 
heavily  bombarded  at  Easter,  1917 — The  Cardinal's  diary — 
Bombardment  of  the  cathedral — The  two  himdred  and  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  my  firm — Partners  in  Hedges  &  Butler — Nancy 
in  1917 — A  meatless  day — Boursault — The  cellars — Montmort — 
Reims— The  Lion  d'Or— The  cathedral— The  C.D.C.Q.S.R. 
— Havre — Bad  news — Paris — An  air  raid — Bordeaux — 
American  troops — The  Landes — Biarritz — Reminiscences  of  a 
balloon  race — Bayonne — Dijon,  Nancy,  Epernay — Chfllont — 
France  is  saved. 

CHAPTER  XII 
LAND  AND  AIR  JOURNETS  IN   1919  ....    293 

To  Gibraltar — The  mine  peril — Tangiers — ^Wild  flowers  and 
gardens — Ramadan — ^Algeciras — Granada  —  Seville  —  Jerez — A 
bull-fight — Madrid — Portugal — Oporto — The  Factory  Club — 
Bordeaux — Paris  under  peace  conditions — ^A  visit  to  the  devas- 
tated regions — Destruction  at  Reims — Strasbourg — A  journey 
down  the  Rhine — Coblenz — Sir  William  Robertson — British 
headquarters  at  Cologne — The  Army  of  Occupation — Rhine 
wines — From  Cologne  to  England  by  aeroplane — Hounslow  to 
Paris  by  air. 


12  FIFTY  YEARS  OF  TRAVEL 

CHAPTER  XIII 

PAGE 

MY  HUNDRED  BALLOON  ASCENTS       ....  306 

The  City  of  York — Decision  to  form  the  Aero  Club — The  Royal 
Aero  Club  and  the  Royal  Air  Force — The  foundation  of  the 
Aero  Club — Registration  as  a  company — Preliminary  circular — 
Inaugural  ascent — My  first  solo  ascent — Pilot's  certificate  from 
the  Aero  Club  of  France — Project  of  a  Balloon  Volunteer  Corps — 
The  Aero  Club  No.  2 — Sensations  during  ballooning — Practical 
hints — ^An  exciting  ascent  from  St. -Cloud — My  first  cross- 
Channel  voyage — The  Vera — An  eclipse  of  the  sun — Out  of  sight 
of  land — Descent  in  Calvados — A  moonlight  voyage — Resting 
in  a  tree — The  first  Aero  Club  race — The  Dolce  Far  Niente 
wins — The  Gordon-Bennett  race — Race  for  the  Assheton  Harbord 
Cup — The  Glorious  Dead. 

CHAPTER   XIV 
AIRSHIP   AND   AEROPLANE   PLIGHTS  ....    348 

Mr.  Wilbur  Wright — "  That  man  can  fly  !  " — First  aeroplane 
ascent — The  Hedges  Butler  Challenge  Cup — A  heavy  thunder- 
storm— First  ascent  in  a  dirigible — The  Ville  de  Paris — The 
Hon.  C.  S.  RoUs's account  of  the  trip — Sensations  in  a  dirigible — 
Coming  to  moorings — The  Wrights'  first  passengers — The 
future  of  the  aeroplane — Proprietary  rights  in  the  air. 


Appendix  I  ......  .  373 

My  log  of  balloon  ascents. 

Appendix  II         ......  .  391 

Development  of  aeronautics  and  aviation— Balloon  Volunteer 
Corps — Experiments  on  Salisbury  Plain — The  Royal  Aero 
Club — An  Aerial  Postal  Service — The  Royal  Flying  Corps — 
The  Royal  Aero  Club. 

Appendix  III       .......  410 

An  historic  lunch  given  to  the  brothers  Orville  and  Wilbur 
Wright  and  their  sister,  Miss  Katherine  Wright,  by  Mr.  Frank 
Hedges  Butler  at  the  Carlton  Hotel,  May  3,   1909. 

Appendix  IV        ......  .  412 

The  Imperial  Institute  Orchestra. 


Index         .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .415 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FBANK  HEDGES   BUTLEB 


Frontispiece 


FAOB 
HOLLYWOOD,    WIMBLEDON   PABK  .  .  .  .  .  .19 

LAKE   AND   ISLAND   AT   HOLLYWOOD,    WIMBLEDON    PABK         .  .  .23 

FAMILY  WEDDING   GBOUP  TAKEN   AT  HOLLYWOOD,   WIMBLEDON   PAEK  .        25 

NIAGAEA   FALLS,   WITH   AUTHOR    IN   THE    FOBEGEOUND,   LOOKING    AT    THE 

FALLS        .........         29 

JAMAICA.      ST.    JAGO    PAEK,    SPANISH    TOWN.      MY   HOST  IS   SEEN  DEIVING 

THE   TANDEM  IN  WHICH   WE   MADE   A  TOUE   OF   PABTS   OF  THE  ISLAND        35 

MEDAL  TO   COMMEMOEATE   THE   TENTH   ANNIVEESAEY   OP    THE   FOEMATION 

OP   THE   EOYAL   AEBO    CLUB  .  .  .  .  .  .39 

IMPERIAL   INSTITUTE   AMATEUE   OBCHESTBAL   SOCIETY  .  .  .49 

GBOUP  OP  VINTAGEBB   IN  THE   ALTO   DOUEO  .  .  .  .59 

OXEN   DBAWING   A   PIPE   OF   POBT  IN  THE   ALTO   DOURO        .  .  .59 

POBTUGUESB  TYPE  OP  VINTAGER      .  .  .  .  .  .63 

ELEPHANTS  BELONGING  TO  H.H.   THE  MAHABAJAH  OP  JEYPOEE   .  .        69 

"TAJ   MAHAL,"   AGEA,   INDIA  ,  .  .  .  .  .71 

GROUP   OF   ANDAMANESE  ••.....         79 

ANDAMANESB   PISHING   FROM   A   BAFT  .  .  .  .  .83 

VSDDAH8,   CEYLON      ........         87 

THE   ASCENT   OF   MONT  BLANC   WITH   MY   DAUGHTER  VERA  AND  GUIDES     .        91 

MY   FIEST   BENZ   CAB  ••••...        97 

1899   PANHABD   AND   LEVASSOB   CAB  .....      101 

A  RENAULT   CAR  WITH   A   DE   DION  4J   H.P.   ENGINE  .  .  .      105 

MEET  OP  MOTOR-CABS   AT  THE  AUTHOB'S   HOUSE-BOAT  AT  8HIFLAKE  .      109 

THE   AUTHOB'B   house-boat   "DOLCE   FAB   NIENTE  "  .  .  .      II3 

A8C0T,  1900.      THE  FIRST  YEAR   MOTOB-CABS  WERE  ALLOWED  AT  ASCOT  .     115 

13 


14  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

PXQE 
VESA  BUTLEB  ON  HEB  ABAB   STEED,   MOBOCCO  .  .  .  .119 

PASSING  THROUGH   THE   GATES  OF  TETUAN,   MOBOCCO            .                .                .  119 

WILD  BOAR   SHOOTING   AT  EPEBNAY                  .....  125 

BUSSIAN   LAPLAND.      LAPP    ON   SKIS   BBINGINQ  BBINDEEB  TO   HABNESB  IN 

THE   PULKAS           ........  131 

MY  LAPLAND   EXPEDITION   COMING  NEAB  THE  COAST.      HAULING  A  DINGHY 

ON   SLEDGE             ........  131 

VIEW  OF  BOSSKOP  ON   PJOBD                ......  135 

LAPP  ENCAMPMENT     ........  135 

BOSSKOP.       LAPPS   BEINGING   IN   BEINDEEB  SKINS  AND  OTHEB  WABES    TO 

BELL  AT  THE   FAIR  AND  MABKET  WHICH   IS  HELD  TWICE  A  YBAB      .  143 

BASSEVOUDSTUKN.      GOVEBNMENT     BEST-HOUSE      ON      THE      BORDERS      OP 

FINLAND                   ........  143 

8.Y.    "ALBION"    IN  VILLEFEANCHE   HARBOUR            ....  158 

A   WATEBHOLE   AT  DAB-EB-SALAAM                     .....  179 

NATIVES  CLIMBING  FOB  COCOANUTS                  .....  179 

KAVIBONDO  FUNEBAL.        EVIL   SPIRITS   ABE   SUPPOSED  TO  DWELL  IN  THE 

TREES        .........  181 

KAVIRONDO     FUNERAL.         PROCESSION      OP     GIRLS      ARRIVING     FOB     THE 

FUNEBAL                 ........  181 

KAVIBONDO    FUNEBAL.       AUTHOR    WATCHING    MEN    SITTING   OUTSIDE  THE 

BOMA          .........  185 

MEN,   WOMEN  AND   CHILDREN    RUNNING   IN  AND   OUT  OP  THE  ENCL08UBB 

TO   WABD  OFF  THE  EVIL  SPIRITS              .....  185 

KAVIBONDO  FUNEBAL.      CHIEF  ARRIVING   ON   AN  OX               .                .                .  189 

KAVIRONDO   FUNERAL.      FRIENDS  WATCHING  OVER  THE   GRAVE       .                .  189 

VICTORIA  NYANZA.        GROUP  OP  NATIVES  WITH    FISHING    BASKETS   AND  A 

NATIVE  WATEB-CAERIER                 ......  193 

VICTORIA  NYANZA.      NATIVE    RAFT  FOR  FISHING  AND  CARRYING  PRODUCE  198 

WOMEN  AND   CHILDREN    SCRAMBLING    FOR    TOKENS  THROWN    BY   AUTHOR  195 

PREPARING  A  LION-SKIN   WITH  ALUM              .....  195 

VICTORIA  NYANZA.      NATIVE    WOMEN    WEARING    ONLY  A  FEW    BEADS  FOB 

ORNAMENT              ........  199 

VICTORIA  NYANZA.      AUTHOR  WITH  THE   FAMILY        ....  199 

BIG-GAME  SHOOTING  IN  EAST  AFRICA              .....  301 

BULIiOCK  WAGONS  AND  RIDING-HORSE   AND  MULE  BEADY  TO  BTABT            .  201 


ILLUSTRATIONS  15 

PAOB 
ON   SAFABI.      NEAB  A   LAKE,   EEDOKG   VALIiET,   EAST  AFRICA  .  .      205 

MY    WHITE     HUNTER,    MAJOR    DOONER,   M.C.,    D.S.O.,    WITH    AUTHOR    AND 

BEATERS   AT   THE    CLOSE    OF  A  LION    HUNT   IN    LITTLE   KEDON0    RIVER      205 

A    RICH    KAVIRONDO    GIRL    SMOKING    HER    PIPE,    WATCHING    OVER    THE 

CATTLB     .........      209 

HER   BROTHER  .  .  '  .  .  .  .  .  .      209 

MISS  TURNER- FARLEY,  THE  AUTHOR  AND  GUN-BEARER  BITTING  UP  IN 
A  THEE  ALL  NIGHT  FOR  A  LION  KILL.  A  ZEBRA  WAS  SHOT  BY 
THE   AUTHOR         ........      211 

BIB  ARTHUR  LAWLEY   AND   THE    AUTHOR  RIDING   ON    AN   ENGINE   ON  THE 

UGANDA  RAILWAY,    MOMBABSA  TO   NAIROBI  AND   KISUMU         .  .      215 

THE    WHITE    FATHERS,    UGANDA  ......      215 

THE   RAILWAY   STATION    AT    SENLIS,   BURNT    DOWN    BY   FIRE    DURING  THE 

GERMAN   OCCUPATION,   SEPTEMBER   1914  ....      219 

RUINS   AT   SENLIS,   SEPTEMBER   1914  .....      219 

THE   PROPRIETOR   OF  THE   CHARCUTERIB   SHOWING    THE    DESTRUCTION   OP 

HIS   HOUSE   BY  FIRE.      SENLIS,   SEPTEMBER  1914  .  .  .      221 

SENLIS,    SEPTEMBER    1914        .......      221 

REIMS.      VIEW    FROM    A    DISTANCE,    SHOWING   THE    CATHEDRAL   WITH   ITS 

BURST  ROOF,    1914  .......      225 

REIMS,  1914.      TRENCHES   IN   CHAMPAGNE   CELLARS  .  .  .      229 

IN  THE   CELLARS   OF  G.    H.   MUMM.      REIMS,   1914    ....      229 

TWO    STATUES    OP    FRENCH    KINGS    IN    THE    CATHEDRAL.       THESE     WERE 

AFTERWARDS   DESTROYED    BY    SHELLS.      REIMS,    1915    .  .  .      233 

REIMS,  SEPTEMBER  7,  1916.  MR.  LLOYD  GEORGE,  M.  ALBERT  THOMAS. 
AUTHOR  POINTING  TO  THE  STEPS  WHERE  THEY  DESCENDED  WHEN 
THE    SHELLS    CAME  .......      237 

ONE    OF    THE    75    MM.    GUNS    FIRED    BY    THE    AUTHOR    AT   THE    GERMAN 

TRENCHES.       REIMS,    1916  ......      243 

FIRING  AT  THE  GERMANS.  FRENCH  OFFICERS  BEHIND  A  FORT  TAKING 
COVER   AND   GETTING   CLEAR   OF  THE   RECOIL    OF   THE   GUN.     *REIMS, 

1916 249 

A   PROMENADE   IN   THE    PARC   POMMEBY   TO    VIEW   THE    GERMAN  TRENCHES 

TWO   MILES   DISTANT   FROM   OUR   GUNS.      REIMS,    1916  .  .  ,      255 

TELEPHONE  OBSERVATION  POST  WITH  POILU  IN  FRONT.  ON  THE 
WOODEN  STAGE  OUR  PARTY  IS  SEEN  LOOKING  OUT  OVER  THE 
GERMAN     TRENCHES      TO      SEE      THg     pUBSTING      QP      OUR      SHELLS. 

REIMS,  1916        ..,,,,..    259 


16  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 


THK  WONDEBPUL  EOSB  WINDOW  OF  EEIMS  CATHEDRAL.  THE  WINDOW 
HAD  TO  BE  CAREFULLY  TAKEN  OUT  AND  THE  OLD  STAINED  GLASS 
REMOVED.      1917.  .......      265 

LIFE  IN  THE  CELLARS  AT  REIMS.  SERVICE  WAS  HELD  HERE,  THE 
CONGREGATION  BITTING  ON  FULL  CASES  OP  G.  H.  MUMM'S  CHAM- 
PAGNE.    1917      ........     271 

BEIMS,   1917.      CHILDREN    AT    SCHOOL    WITH    GAS    MASKS    ABOUND  THEIR 

WAISTS      .........      277 

CELLARS  OF  HOTEL  DU   LION  D'OR.      REIMS,   1917  ....      283 

A   SHELL-HOLE   IN  FRONT  OF  THE   CATHEDRAL.       AUTHOR  AND  POILUB  IN 

CRATER  OP  HOLE.      REIMS,   1917  .....      287 

BALLOON  ASCENT  FROM  THE   CRYSTAL  PALACE,    1901  .  .  .      307 

THE     AUTHOR     FINDS    A     CONVERT     TO     BALLOONING    AFTER    SENDING     A 

TELEGRAM  TO  HER  HUSBAND   BY  HIS   BROTHER,    1906  .  .      311 

"  THE  CITY  OP  LONDON."      BALLOON    BUILT    FOR    THE    AUTHOR    IN    THE 

GORDON-BENNETT  BALLOON    RACE   PROM  PABIS,    1906  .  .      311 

THE  author's  AERONAUT  CERTIFICATE,   1903  ....      317 

BALLOON  RACE   FROM  RANELAGH   CLUB,   1906  ....      823 

CROSS   CHANNEL  AND   ECLIPSE   OP  THE   SUN.      VOYAGE    PROM    LONDON  TO 

CAEN  IN  NORMANDY.      VIEW  OP  SHOREHAM,   NEAR  BRIGHTON,   1905  .      329 

A  BOUGH  DESCENT,   1907         .......      337 

A   NIGHT    ASCENT    TO   SEE    THE    COMET.       THE    AUTHOR    TOOK    TWO    CON- 
STABLES UP  CAPTIVE,  1907      ......     337 

EASTER  HOUSE   PARTY  AT  THE    "  HENDRE,"    LORD   LLANGATTOCK'S  HOME, 

1906 3il 

AN  INTERNATIONAL    BALLOON    CONTEST    OP    THIRTY-ONE    BALLOONS   FROM 

HURLINGHAM,   1908  .......      345 

MB.    WILBUR    WEIGHT    WITH     AN     AMERICAN    LADY.       PLIGHT     PROM     LE 

MANS,   PRANCE,   1908        .......      349 

THE   HEDGES  BUTLEB  CHALLENGE   CUP,   1906  ....      353 

AUTHOR'S  FLIGHT  WITH  MR.  WILBUR  WRIGHT  AT  LE  MANS,  PRANCE,  1908      367 
A  COMMEMORATIVE    MEDAL   PRESENTED    TO    THE   AUTHOR    BY    THE    AERO 

CLUB   OP  FRANCE,    1905  ......      361 

HISTORIC  LUNCHEON  GIVEN  BY  THE   AUTHOR  TO  THE   BROTHERS  WILBUR 

AND  ORVILLB   WRIGHT,   1909  .....      367 


FIFTY  YEAES  OF  TEAVEL  BY 
LAND,  WATEE,  AND  AIE 

CHAPTER  I 

BOYHOOD  AND  EARLY  TRAVELS 

A  WISH  to  see  as  much  as  possible  of  a  wonderful 
world  was  fostered  in  me  by  reading  as  a  boy  the 
travels  of  Vasco  da  Gama,  Humboldt,  Livingstone, 
and  other  great  explorers.  The  singing  of  "  From 
Greenland's  icy  mountains,  from  India's  coral 
strand  "  meant  more  to  me,  I  think,  than  to  most 
of  my  schoolfellows,  and  at  an  early  age  I  deter- 
mined that  I  would  look  upon  the  Arctic  snows, 
shoot  in  Africa,  breathe  the  "  spicy  breezes  "  of 
Ceylon,  and  cross  wide  seas  to  mysterious  lands. 

This  desire  to  make  journeys  was  really  an  in- 
herited instinct.  My  mother  before  her  marriage 
travelled  extensively  with  her  father,  William 
Hedges.  There  were  no  guide-books  in  those  days, 
but  they  kept  diaries  of  the  tours  they  made,  and 
these  were  passed  round  the  family  to  be  read. 
The  Grand  Tour  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century  was  to  France  and  Italy.  Journeys  were 
made  by  post-chaise,  and  travellers,  who  were 
accompanied  by  a  courier,  insured  their  lives  and 

2  " 


18  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

valuables  against  attack  by  brigands  and  highway- 
men in  Italy.  On  one  occasion  some  of  my  grand- 
father's friends  who  were  following  him  and  had 
neglected  the  precaution  of  insurance  were  held  up 
and  robbed. 

It  is  to  my  father  that  I  owe  my  own  habit  of 
keeping  diaries.  Whenever  I  went  for  a  holiday 
it  was  expected  of  me  that  I  should  write  an 
account  daily  of  places  visited  and  things  seen. 
Because  of  this  practice  I  can  now  recall  that  in 
my  boyhood  luggage  was  carried  on  the  top  of  rail- 
way carriages,  and  that  to  get  to  Ilfracombe  one 
had  to  finish  the  journey  from  Barnstaple  by  stage- 
coach. 

I  was  born  on  December  17,  1855,  in  London, 
within  the  sound  of  Bow  bells  and  Big  Ben,  and 
christened  at  St.  James's  Church,  Piccadilly.  My 
mother,  Mary  Frances  Hedges,  married  James 
Butler,  and  thus  I  came  to  be  named  Frank  Hedges 
Butler.  My  grandfather,  William  Hedges,  resided 
at  Wooton  Lodge,  Streatham  Hill,  and  my  parents, 
a  few  years  before  I  was  born,  built  a  house  called 
Hollywood,  Wimbledon  Park,  with  lovely  woods 
and  gardens,  a  lake  and  island,  and  many  orange 
and  vine  houses.  It  was  placed  at  the  corner  of 
six  cross-roads  leading  on  to  Putney  Heath  and 
Wimbledon  Common.  This  was  open  country 
then,  and  many  rabbits,  pheasants,  and  partridges 
were  to  be  seen  on  the  common  and  roads. 

At  the  age  of  seven  I  was  sent  to  a  preparatory 
school  kept  by  two  sisters,  the  Misses  Cheyne,  in 
Lansdowne  Place,  Brighton.  They  were  very  kind, 
and  I  learned  a  good  deal  under  their  guidance. 


19 


SCHOOLDAYS— FIRST  TRAVELS  21 

Brighton  and  Hove  were  then  small  towns.  Cricket 
was  recently  played  in  top-hats  at  Box's  cricket- 
ground,  and  at  Hove  there  was  a  large  farm  kept 
by  a  Mr.  Rigden,  near  the  old  Hove  Church.  Swim- 
ming I  learnt  at  Brill's  Baths ;  a  sailor  who  had 
lost  his  leg  but  was  an  excellent  swimmer  taught 
me.  We  had  holidays  twice  a  year — at  Christmas 
and  Midsummer — and  during  the  summer  holidays 
I  was  taken  with  my  younger  brothers  and  sisters 
to  Scotland  and  the  seaside.  After  these  prepara- 
tory years  I  was  sent  to  a  school  directed  by 
the  Rev.  George  Green,  M.A.,  Upper  Clapton, 
who  subsequently  became  head  master  of  East- 
bourne College.  It  was  a  very  good  private  school, 
and  while  there  I  learned  something  of  French, 
German,  Greek,  Latin,  Euclid,  algebra,  chemistry, 
music,  and  dancing.  Later  I  studied  in  France 
and  Germany  in  order  that  I  might  learn  the 
languages.  In  1870,  while  staying  with  my  parents 
at  Dover — I  was  then  fifteen — I  made  my  first 
visit  to  France,  and  in  the  diary  wrote  (at  Calais)  : 

Saw  many  soldiers  reading  the  proclamation  of  the  war.^ 

1870-71  was  the  year  of  the  Franco-German  War, 
and  the  Germans  surrounded  Paris. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  I  took  a  walking  tour 
through  Switzerland  with  my  brother  William. 
The  paddle-steamers  crossing  the  Channel  in  1873 
were  very  small,  and  even  before  leaving  harbour 

*  In  September  1914,  at  Calais,  I  wrote  the  same  passage 
in  my  diary,  history  repeating  itself  in  the  Great  War  of 
1914-18. 


22  FIFTY  ^  YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

many  passengers  were  sick  owing  to  the  smell  of 
the  oil  lamps.  The  packets,  however,  were  excel- 
lent sea-boats.  Calais  station  had  a  capital  buffet, 
and  travellers,  before  joining  the  train,  could  enjoy 
soup,  hot  meats,  and  plump  fowls,  with  a  bottle 
of  good  wine.  French  railway  carriages  had  the 
shape  of  stage-coaches,  but  they  were  comfortably 
upholstered  in  grey  cloth  and  the  seats  had  clean 
antimacassars.  We  saw  Paris  as  it  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  Commune  two  years  earlier. 
The  Tuileries  Palace,  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  and  many 
other  buildings  had  been  burned,  and  the  column 
in  the  Place  Vendome  laid  on  the  ground  in  ruins. 

From  Paris  we  proceeded  by  rail  to  Geneva. 
Railway  tickets  were  examined  while  the  train 
was  in  motion.  The  collectors  walked  along  an 
outside  platform,  and  one  never  knew  when  they 
would  intrude.  My  brothers  were  at  school  at 
Vevey.  The  best  Tours  French  was  supposed  to  be 
spoken  there  and  at  Lausanne  and  Geneva,  idiom 
and  accent  being  quite  different  from  the  fast 
Parisian  patois.  We  went  to  Chamounix  by  coach, 
and  afterwards  took  mules  to  the  monastery  of  the 
Great  Saint  Bernard.  Our  walking  began  at  Sierre, 
and  we  visited  Kandersteg,  Interlaken,  and  Lucerne. 
From  Basle  we  went  on  to  Strasburg,  which  had 
recently  been  occupied  by  the  Germans.  Many 
German  generals  were  staying  at  the  Maison  Rouge. 
Before  returning  home  we  visited  Cologne,  Coblentz, 
and  Antwerp. 

A  second  Swiss  tour  followed  in  1874,  and  was 
extended  to  the  Italian  lakes,  Milan,  and  Venice. 
My  diary  was  stuffed  with  youthful  appreciations 


23 


25 


PARIS— ITALY— AMERICA  27 

and  enthusiasms,  but  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands know  and  love  Lugano  and  Como  and  the 
church  of  St.  Mark,  and  would  not  be  interested 
in  what  I  wrote  of  them.  Among  pages  of  eulogy 
and  recorded  pleasure,  one  complaint  came  into 
my  notes.  "  Many  mosquitoes  from  the  water  in 
the  canals,"  the  extract  runs.  When  I  look  at  it 
I  can  remember  those  mosquitoes. 

In  1875  I  sailed  in  the  s.s.  Argo,  of  the  Wilson 
Line,  from  Hull  to  Bergen.  From  my  impressions 
of  Norway  I  need  only  reproduce  two  short 
passages : 

Visited  Bergen  cathedral  and  heard  the  service.  The  church 
was  Hke  a  theatre,  with  tiers  of  boxes  and  pegs  for  the 
hats  and  coats.  The  natives  are  much  too  fond  of  spitting 
about  the  church. 

At  Odde,  left  my  sisters  and  brother-in-law,  Alfred  Coleman, 
and  continued  the  journey  alone  by  carriole  to  Christiania. 
There  are  few  railways  in  Norway  and  Sweden,  and  a  carriole 
is  far  the  most  comfortable  way  of  travelling.  Ladies,  how- 
ever, have  to  put  aside  the  crinoline,  as  the  seat  is  narrow, 
and  when  driving  one  lies  with  the  legs  up  as  though  on  a 
sofa.  The  journey  after  a  time  became  very  monotonous, 
driving  continuously  through  miles  of  fir-trees  and  past 
innumerable  waterfalls,  and  it  was  good  to  arrive  at  Christiania 
en  route  to  England. 

In  1876  I  went  for  the  first  time  to  America, 
and  visited  the  Centennial  Exhibition  at  Phila- 
delphia. The  Atlantic  was  crossed  in  the  steam- 
ship Canada,  which  sailed  from  Tilbury.  My 
parents  and  sisters  came  to  see  me  off,  and  I  re- 
member that  we  had  an  excellent  whitebait  dinner 


28  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

at  Gravesend.  In  New  York  I  stayed  at  the 
Fifth  Avenue,  then  one  of  the  new  hotels,  and  spent 
a  week  seeing  the  sights.  The  Exhibition  was  held 
to  celebrate  the  centenary  of  the  Declaration  of 
American  Independence,  and  was  extremely  inter- 
esting. British  visitors  were  greatly  attracted  by 
the  singing  of  negroes  from  Carolina  and  Virginia. 
The  heat  was  intense  and  our  consumption  of 
ice-cream  soda-water  prodigious.  Later  I  visited 
Washington  with  Mr.  Coleman,  one  of  the  judges 
at  the  Exhibition,  and  then  proceeded  to  Chicago, 
where  we  went  over  the  stockyards,  saw  riders  on 
Californian  saddles  driving  in  the  oxen,  and  were 
shown  the  Chicago  way  of  handling  hogs.  The 
pigs  were  sent  up  an  inclined  plane  to  the  top  of 
the  factory,  and  then  passed  through  many  stages 
until  the  animals  were  salted  and  packed  in  barrels 
for  export. 

From  Chicago  I  made  a  thousand  miles  journey 
over  Lakes  Michigan,  Huron,  Erie,  and  Ontario 
to  Niagara.  Lake  travelling  can  be  very  rough, 
and  as  we  experienced  a  heavy  swell  many  passen- 
gers were  ill.  Notwithstanding  this,  we  had  some 
entertaining  evenings  on  board  the  steamer  Mil- 
waukeCy  and  there  was  much  singing  and  dancing. 
At  Niagara  I  walked  under  the  Horseshoe  Falls, 
and  was  ferried  across  to  Prospect  Park,  Lunar 
Island,  and  the  Cave  of  the  Winds.  The  return 
journey  to  New  York  was  made  through  Eastern 
Canada,  and  I  saw  something  of  Montreal  and 
Quebec.  Quebec  was  very  much  like  an  old  French 
town,  and  the  people  spoke  a  patois  of  French 
and  English.     By  crossing  the  tubular  bridge  over 


29 


CHICAGO— THE  MEDITERRANEAN     81 

the  St.  Lawrence  I  came  to  Saratoga,  a  fashionable 
watering-place,  where  visitors  drank  the  waters 
just  as  our  own  people  at  home  do  at  Harrogate 
and  Buxton.  There  was  no  lack  of  gaiety,  and  I 
believe  I  danced  every  night  at  one  or  other  of 
the  hotels.  The  floors  were  splendid,  and  it  was 
amusing  to  see  how  keen  the  Americans  were  on 
dancing.  They  never  tired  of  gliding  over  the 
polished  wood  to  the  music  of  efficient  orchestras. 
I  sailed  for  home  from  New  York  on  the  Celtic. 

One  more  journey  must  be  brought  under  the 
heading  of  my  early  travels.  In  the  winter  of 
1876-77  I  made  a  Mediterranean  tour,  and  for  the 
first  time  set  foot  in  Africa.  Gibraltar  was  reached 
by  P.  and  O.  steamer,  and  from  there  I  crossed 
to  Tangiers,  where  I  stayed  at  a  hotel  kept  by 
a  coloured  man  named  Martin.  Tangiers  is  a 
Mohammedan  town.  The  following  extracts  are 
from  my  diary : 

We  were  not  allowed  in  the  mosques.  Christians  like 
ourselves  would  defile  them.  Women  are  not  permitted 
to  enter.  There  are  many  beautiful  orange  groves.  The 
district  is  noted  for  its  Tangerine  oranges.  Rode  every  day 
on  the  Barbary  horses,  with  their  long  tails  and  small  heads, 
and  enjoyed  the  gallops  on  the  sands,  trotting  the  horses, 
which  are  trained  to  amble  along.  It  was  like  sitting  in  an 
arm-chair.  We  always  had  a  dragoman  or  soldier  when 
riding  out  in  the  country.  At  night-time  the  gates  were 
closed  from  sunrise  to  sunset.  The  hotel  was  close  to  the 
gate  and  near  to  where  they  prepared  the  hides  for  leather. 
The  smell  is  supposed  to  be  wholesome.  The  prisons  were 
full  of  prisoners — poor  wretches,  fed  by  the  people  from 
outside.  They  were  badly  kept,  and  chained  by  the  legs. 
Had  good  boar -shooting,  and   many   sportsmen  came  from 


82  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Gibraltar  to  take  part  in  the  drives.  The  bazaars  were  always 
interesting,  and  I  made  many  purchases  from  the  Moors. 
Camels  and  donkeys  passing  to  and  fro  made  a  picturesque 
Oriental  scene.  The  writers  sitting  about,  men  with  snakes, 
and  fortune-tellers  in  the  market-place  (Soko)  were  curious 
to  watch. 

At  Tangiers  I  took  steamer  to  Oran,  and  so  to  Algiers. 
Algiers  is  a  modern  European  town,  although  there  is  an 
old  Arab  quarter.  Stayed  at  Mustapha  Superior.  The  Arab 
horse-soldiers  are  very  picturesque,  with  their  high  saddle 
stirrups,  long  white  burnous,  and  turban  head-dress.  The 
Arab  stables  at  Blidah,  a  Government  establishment,  are 
well  worth  seeing,  and  to  an  English  visitor  the  monkeys 
pla3dng  about  in  the  trees  in  the  gorge  are  an  amusing  spectacle. 

Crossed  over  to  Marseilles,  and  spent  my  twenty-first  birth- 
day, on  December  17th,  at  the  Casino  Monte  Carlo.  Room 
very  hot  with  gas  and  oil  lamps.     Fine  orchestra. 

At  Genoa,  saw  the  violin  of  Paganini  in  the  museum.  Visited 
Florence,  Rome,  and  Naples  ;  stayed  some  weeks,  and 
returned  to  England. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  WEST  INDIES,  BRITISH  GUIANA,  AND 
VENEZUELA 

Among  the  journeys  of  my  youth,  none  was  more 
complete  in  interest  and  novelty  than  a  visit  made 
in  1877  to  the  West  Indies,  British  Guiana  and 
Venezuela,  The  trip  began  with  a  pleasant 
voyage  to  Jamaica.  The  passengers  included 
pretty  Cuban  girls  and  sugar-planters  returning 
to  Barbadoes.  I  had  my  violin  with  me,  and  played 
at  evening  concerts.  For  dancing,  a  Trinidad  negress 
provided  music  at  the  piano.  One  day  I  won  the 
sweepstake  on  the  ship's  log,  but  the  winnings 
were  quickly  dissipated  in  rounds  of  cocktails. 
We  reached  the  Barbadoes  after  a  delightful  voyage, 
with  many  moonlight  nights,  in  twelve  days.  I 
retain  memories  of  a  thickly  populated  town,  huts 
with  no  ^vindows,  glaring  white  streets,  and  tropical 
palms  and  plants.  Having  discharged  cargo  and 
taken  in  the  mails,  we  steamed  on,  and  passed  the 
islands  of  Martinique,  Guadeloupe,  St.  Lucia,  and 
St.  Thomas  on  our  way  to  Kingston,  Jamaica. 
There  I  accepted  an  invitation  to  go  to  Spanish 
Town  to  stay  with  the  family  of  Emmanuel  George 
Levy,  whose  father,  Sir  Isaac  Levy  (then  Mr, 
Levy),    owned    20,000    acres,    chiefly    devoted    to 

33 


84  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

sugar  growing.  They  had  a  beautiful  tropically 
built  house,  with  a  running  stream  at  the  back. 
Before  breakfast  we  bathed  in  the  river  and  drank 
milk  fresh  from  the  cow,  with  Jamaica  rum  and 
nutmeg.  Later  in  the  day  came  rides  and  picnics 
with  my  host  and  his  pretty  young  daughters. 
The  scenery  was  exquisite,  and  I  promised  one  of 
the  girls  to  repeat  the  outing  in  fifty  years'  time. 
Bananas,  with  their  spreading  leaves,  large  maiden- 
hair ferns,  coco-nut  palms,  and  all  manner  of  wild 
flowers  made  a  delightful  picture.  I  made  one 
excursion  to  Port  Maria,  where  I  went  over  the 
sugar-mills,  saw  the  rum  being  distilled  from  the 
sugar-cane,  and  drank  cold  sugar-water.  I  was 
sorry  to  leave  Jamaica,  where  everyone  was 
kind  and  extremely  hospitable,  but  a  long  tour 
was  before  me,  and  one  morning,  after  watching 
negresscs  coal  the  ship,  I  sailed  for  Barbadoes  en 
route  for  Trinidad.  At  Demerara  I  attended  a 
Dignity  Ball  of  Creoles  and  black  inhabitants. 
The  dancing,  chiefly  to  the  music  of  a  cornet,  was 
curious  and  slow. 

At  Trinidad  I  proceeded  to  buy  tins  of  soup, 
hams,  corned  beef,  biscuits,  and  other  provisions, 
wine,  and  a  cutlass,  in  preparation  for  an  expedition 
to  the  Great  Cave  of  Guacharo  in  Venezuela,  dis- 
covered by  Humboldt. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  an  intensely  warm 
day,  in  the  month  of  September  1877,  hot  even 
for  the  Tropic  of  Cancer,  that,  accompanied  by 
Lieutenant  Mercier,  of  the  Swiss  Dragoons,  I  em- 
barked in  a  canoe  at  the  landing-stage  of  the  harbour 
of  Port  of  Spain,  Isle  of  Trinidad,  West  Indies,  in 


35 


TRINIDAD  Sr 

order  to  select  a  felucca — a  kind  of  fishing-smack 
of  20  tons  or  so,  numbers  of  which  craft  ply  about 
this  coast — ^for  conveyance  to  the  Isla  di  Margarita, 
300  miles  distant.  Having  made  a  choice  of  one, 
which  was  bound  with  a  miscellaneous  cargo, 
chiefly  of  Birmingham  goods,  for  Porlama,  the 
capital  town  of  the  island,  and  made  the  necessary 
arrangements  with  the  skipper  as  to  fares,  our 
baggage  was  thrown  on  board,  and,  amid  energetic 
shouts,  gestures  from  the  crew,  and  long  sweeps 
of  the  oars,  we  were  slowly  rowed  a  short  distance 
from  the  harbour.  At  first  the  sea  was  as  tranquil 
as  the  surface  of  a  pond,  but  after  a  while  a  stiff 
breeze  sprang  up,  the  sails  were  unfurled,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  we  were  sailing  at  the  rate  of  nine 
knots  an  hour.  Favoured  with  a  magnificent 
moonlight  night,  our  little  vessel  cleft  the  water, 
and  phosphorescent  wavelets  played  about  the 
prow  and  rippled  in  our  wake  like  a  luminous 
ribbon.  The  first  object  of  interest  to  be  passed 
was  the  "  Dragon's  Mouth  "  (Bocas  dos  Dragos), 
a  name  bestowed  on  two  huge  rocks  which  reared 
their  lofty  forms  out  of  the  water  in  a  manner 
reminding  me  of  the  Needles  off  the  Isle  of  Wight, 
only  of  course  on  a  far  larger  scale.  We  then 
turned  our  attention  to  the  flying-fish,  of  which  we 
could  distinguish  a  large  number  on  each  side  of 
the  felucca.  By  lighting  a  couple  of  torches  and 
holding  them  over  the  side  of  the  vessel,  from 
which  we  had  lowered  a  net,  several  of  these 
"  bird-fish "  were  captured,  as  a  light  possesses 
for  them  as  strong  an  attraction  as  it  does  for 
moths.     Owing  to  the  large  amount  of  cargo  in 


88  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

proportion  to  the  size  of  the  felucca,  and  the  fact 
that  the  crew  numbered  seven,  there  was  not  much 
room   on  board,   and   as   at  intervals   there   arose 
from    the    depths    of   the   hold   unsavoury    whiffs 
strongly  suggestive  of  stale  fish,  it  was  in  a  rather 
discontented  frame  of  mind  that  we  prepared  for 
sleep,  contrasting  our  quarters  with  the  luxurious 
cabins  of  the  Royal  Mail  steamer  in  which  we  had 
but  lately  been  passengers.     Wearied  nature,  how- 
ever,  in   spite   of   our   discomfort,   was   about   to 
assert  itself,  and  I  was  just  dropping  off,  when  the 
sailors  began,  by  way  of  a  song,  a  low  drone  of 
which    I    could   make    very  little,    though   it   was 
effectual  in  keeping  me  awake  for  an  hour.     For- 
tunately, our  voyage   was   not   of   long   duration, 
and  on  the  third  day,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
we  sighted  the  town  of  Pampata.     Sharks,  which 
frequent  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Isla  di  Margarita, 
made   bathing   out   of  the   question,   but  pails   of 
deliciously  cool  water,  dashed  over  us  as  we  lay 
on  deck,  furnished  a  substitute  and  shower-bath 
by  no  means  to  be    despised.     After  the  bath  we 
disembarked   and   were  rowed  ashore.     Furnished 
with    letters    of    introduction    from    some    of    our 
Trinidad  friends,  we  sought  out  the  President  of 
the  island,  from  whom  we  received  a  most  cordial 
welcome.     After  breakfast   at  his   house  our  host 
accompanied  us  on  horseback  to  Porlama,  the  heat 
being    intense,    although    it    was    still    only    seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

At  Porlama  we  rested  for  some  hours,  and  in  the 
cool  of  the  evening  rode  to  the  church  of  Navatino, 
where,   amongst  other  relics,   a  magnificent  pearl 


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39 


ISLA  DI  MARGARITA  41 

was  shown,  about  the  size  of  a  filbert.  Concerning 
this  there  was  a  legend  that  a  pearl-diver,  who 
had  suffered  the  loss  of  one  of  his  legs  from  the 
bite  of  a  shark  and  saw  his  means  of  livelihood 
for  the  future  cut  off,  vowed  to  the  shrine  of  Our 
Lady  of  Navatino  the  largest  pearl  he  should  find 
if  only  he  had  his  leg  back  again.  Either  the 
promise  of  the  pearl  or  his  prayers  were  efficacious, 
for,  according  to  the  friar  who  told  us  the  story, 
the  missing  member  was  restored  to  its  owner, 
and,  he  went  on  to  say,  soon  after  he  found  the 
splendid  pearl  now  treasured.  After  a  stroll  round 
the  church  we  returned  to  Porlama,  and  stayed 
with  the  President  till  midnight,  when,  after  a 
heart}'^  supper  of  morocoi  and  turkey  (the  former 
a  dish  prepared  from  the  flesh  of  the  land  tortoise), 
we  said  farewell  to  our  kind  friend  and  again  set 
sail  in  the  felucca.  Our  destination  this  time  was 
the  Isle  of  Providentia,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
Caribee.  This  island,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  was 
in  a  very  uncivilized  state,  its  only  inhabitants 
being  a  few  Indians,  who  lived  chiefly  by  fishing, 
and  large  numbers  of  penguins  and  cormorants. 
A  good  many  sea-birds  were  standing  on  the  shore 
as  we  approached,  eyeing  us  with  the  most  stolid 
gravity,  and  apparently  buried  in  profound  con- 
jecture as  to  our  genus.  We  fired  a  shot  or  two 
to  see  if  we  could  rouse  them,  but  only  partially 
succeeded,  as,  after  some  flying  and  scuttling 
over  the  ground,  they  settled  down  again  in  no  wise 
disturbed.  We  found  a  very  fine  pearl  fishery 
established  on  the  island,  and  bought  a  few  ocean 
gems.     Afterwards,  a  few   hours   were   passed   in 


42  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

strolling  about  the  island,  gun  in  hand,  on  the  look- 
out for  any  chance  excuse  for  a  shot,  until  the 
breeze  freshened  and  warned  us  that  we  must 
soon  depart. 

A  sail  of  twelve  hours  brought  us  to  Cumana, 
the  capital  town  of  the  Department  of  Maturin, 
situated  on  the  Gulf  of  Cariaco,  the  entrance  to 
which  requires  a  vessel  to  be  skilfully  handled,  on 
account  of  the  small  banks  which  lie  o£f  the  mouth 
of  this  arm  of  the  Caribbean  Sea.  Once  over  the 
bar,  we  were  safe.  Cumana,  as  we  saw  it,  had  suf- 
fered severely  from  earthquakes.  The  inhabitants 
are  indolent,  and,  when  we  visited  the  town, 
although  the  last  earthquake  of  a  serious  nature 
had  occurred  in  1853,  several  yawning  fissures 
and  ruined  houses  still  remained  to  tell  of  the 
fearful  havoc  then  wrought.  Few  of  the  houses 
were  more  than  one  story  high,  and  bars  of  painted 
wood  crossed  every  window  in  the  Spanish  fashion 
— to  prevent  access,  I  presume,  to  the  ladies,  who 
sat  fanning  themselves  in  as  close  proximity  as 
possible  to  the  bars.  The  River  Manzanares  runs 
through  the  town,  and  we  found  a  dip  in  the  water 
very  refreshing.  Trade  was  done  to  some  small 
extent  in  cattle,  dried  meat,  and  salted  fish,  chiefly 
with  Caracas  and  the  Windward  Islands.  During 
our  stay  we  made  preparations  for  our  expedition 
to  the  interior  by  purchasing  horses,  mules,  chin- 
choros  (grass  hammocks),  and  laying  in  a  stock 
of  tinned  provisions,  salt  beef,  and  similar  food. 

The  peons,  or  guides,  who  knew  the  road  to 
Maturin,  accompanied  us  from  Cumana,  and, 
starting  at  3  a.m.,  with  a  soft  white  moon  fast 


BRITISH  GUIANA  48 

paling  before  the  grey  light  of  early  dawn,  we 
rode  across  a  sandy  plain  fairly  on  our  way  to 
"  El  Cueva  del  Guacharo."  After  riding  the  whole 
day  through. a  monotonous  and  fiat  country  and 
covering  about  35  miles,  we  were  not  sorry  to 
reach  a  small  village,  where  we  slept  the  night. 
Mounting  horse  early  the  following  morning,  we 
remained  in  the  saddle  until  the  first  chain  of 
mountains  was  gained.  There  we  had  a  brief  halt 
before  pushing  on  to  San  Fernando,  where  we  dis- 
covered that  a  ride  of  three  hours  more  lay  be- 
tween us  and  Cumanacao,  and  decided  to  take  up 
our  quarters  for  the  night.  We  slung  our  ham- 
mocks from  tree  to  tree,  and  in  the  coolness  of  a 
glorious  tropical  night  watched  the  sparkling  fire- 
flies glittering  amongst  the  trees  until  the  picture 
dissolved  in  tranquil  sleep. 

Next  morning  we  rode  on  to  Cumanacao,  San 
Antonio,  and  San  Francesco,  where  we  entered 
the  Valley  of  the  Guacharo,  or  of  Caripe,  as  it  is 
also  called.  The  scenery  had  become  magnificent. 
Numerous  rivulets,  which  in  the  bright  sunshine 
seemed  like  streaks  of  silver,  ran  down  into  the 
valley.  Tall,  tapering,  straggling  trees,  varied  by 
creepers  and  flowers  of  the  most  brilliant  hues, 
rose  around  us,  and  overhead  hung  the  curious  nests 
of  the  oriole  bird.  Nor  was  animal  life  lacking  to 
lend  animation  to  the  scene.  Humming-birds  with 
radiant  wings,  true  to  their  name  of  Beja  jloreSf 
or  flower -kissers,  flitted  from  blossom  to  blossom  ; 
parrots,  macaws,  and  other  birds  of  brilliant  plu- 
mage screamed  and  chattered  in  noisy  concert, 
and  butterflies,  near  in  size  to  humming-birds  and 


44  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

rivalling,  if  not  excelling  them  in  the  exquisite 
tints  of  their  wings,  attracted  our  delighted  atten- 
tion on  every  side.  A  turning  to  the  left  brought 
us  in  view  of  the  house  of  one  Sefior  Gomez,  situated 
on  the  summit  of  a  small  hill  in  the  middle  of  the 
valley,  which  terminated  a  little  further  on  at  the 
foot  of  a  hill,  in  which  the  Guacharo  cavern  has  its 
entrance.  Senor  Gomez  received  us  most  hospit- 
ably, and  we  remained  with  him  four  days,  enjoying 
the  rest  after  our  toilsome  journey.  From  his 
residence  a  magnificent  view  was  obtained.  On 
two  sides  lofty  hills  arrested  the  glance  ;  on  the  third 
a  charming  vista  opened  of  part  of  the  Guacharo 
Valley,  and  on  the  fourth  a  dense  growth  of  trees 
completely  hid  the  hill  in  which  lay  the  caves  we 
were  about  to  visit.  Eventually  we  set  out  on 
our  expedition  with  three  Indians  to  act  as  guides. 
After  going  some  little  distance  up  the  bank  of 
the  river  and  wading  through  the  stream  more 
than  once,  we  suddenly  found  ourselves  opposite 
the  entrance  to  the  grotto.  The  aperture  was 
about  80  feet  in  height  and  the  same  in  width. 
Huge  stalactites  hung  from  the  roof  at  the  entrance, 
and  at  our  feet  ran  the  river,  clear  as  crystal,  but 
at  this  spot  not  more  than  a  foot  deep.  Inside, 
the  cave  rose  to  a  height  of  quite  120  feet,  and 
we  seemed  but  pigmies  beneath  the  vast  natural 
dome  that  rose  over  our  heads.  About  300  feet 
from  the  entrance,  daylight  began  to  fail  us,  but, 
lighting  the  torches,  of  which  we  had  taken  care 
to  have  a  liberal  supply,  we  went  forward,  and  in 
a  few  moments  were  within  hearing  of  the  birds 
from  which  the  remarkable  cave  derived  its  name. 


THE  GUACHARO  CAVES  45 

Scarcely  had  their  discordant  notes  reached  us 
than  down  I  fell,  the  floor  of  the  cave  being  com- 
posed of  soft  and  very  slippery  clay.  Looking  at 
our  native  and  Spanish  companions,  I  observed 
that  they  had  taken  off  almost  all  their  clothing, 
including  the  alpagatos,  or  light  sandals,  generally 
worn  in  this  part  of  South  America.  Acting  on 
their  example,  I  divested  myseK  of  the  whole  of 
my  garments,  with  the  exception  of  a  thin  pair  of 
trousers  rolled  up  as  high  as  possible.  The  noise 
of  the  birds  became  deafening  as  we  approached  the 
inner  part  of  the  cave.  Their  screams  as  they  flew 
about  in  wild  confusion,  terrified  and  retreating 
before  the  glare  of  our  advancing  torches,  were 
perfectly  appalHng.  Echoes  multiplied  the  sound 
until  it  was  easy  to  imagine  the  shrieks  to  be  the 
yells  of  tortured  fiends  answering  each  other  in 
their  agony. 

The  natives,  naturally  superstitious,  regarded  the 
caves  with  great  awe,  and  seeing  that  they  believed 
one  of  the  fifteen  we  counted,  all  leading  into 
each  other,  to  be  a  receptacle  for  the  souls  of  their 
ancestors,  this  was  scarcely  a  matter  for  wonder. 
Superstition,  I  learned,  did  not  prevent  the  Indians 
from  coming  each  springtime,  before  the  guacharos 
of  the  year  could  fly,  to  the  cave  frequented  by 
the  birds,  and  with  long  poles  knocking  down 
hundreds  of  nests  with  fledglings  in  them.  The 
young  birds  were  taken  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave, 
where  their  fat  was  abstracted  and  melted  in  clay 
pots  over  fires  lit  at  the  entrance.  The  fat  thu^r 
obtained  was  carefully  preserved  under  the  name 
of  guacharo  butter  {manteca).     It  was  in  a  semi- 

8 


46  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

liquid  state,  very  clear,  without  smell,  and  so  pure 

that  it  could  be  kept  more  than  twelve  months 

without  turning  rancid.     The  use  of  this  oil  for 

alimentary    and    other    purposes    was   of    ancient 

origin,  and  about  a  century  previously  an  Indian 

family  of  the  name  of  Morcomas  had  laid  claim 

to   the   sole   privilege   of   making   it.     They    put 

forward  their  descent  from  the  first  colonists  of 

the  Guacharo  Valley  in  support  of  this  assertion, 

but  the  monks  gradually  monopolized  the  traffic, 

and  all  individual  rights  in  the  making  of  7nanteca 

had  been  long  since  waived.     The  guacharo  (classed 

by  Cuvier   and  some  other  ornithologists  among 

the  Podargi,  but  according  to  Humboldt  of  the 

genus  Steatornis  Caripensis)  is  about  the  size  of 

an   ordinary   barn-fowl.      The   feathers   are   of   a 

dark  brownish-grey  colour,  varied  by  sUght  streaks 

and  black  dots,  and  on  the  plumage  of  the  head, 

wings,  and  tail,  which  last  is  cuneiform,  there  are 

large  white,  heart-shaped  spots  edged  with  black. 

The  superior  mandible   is   curved   do\\Tiwards   so 

as  to  form  a  somewhat  sharp  hook.     The  guacharo 

is  one  of  the  very  few  night-birds  known  that  are 

frugivorous,  and  it  chiefly  feeds  on  very  hard  fruits, 

never  quitting  the  cave  in  which  it  Uves  to  get 

food  except  on  moonUght  nights.     When  the  young 

birds  were  obtained  by  the  natives,  all  the  seeds 

which  the  crops  and  gizzards  contained  were  taken 

out  and  kept,  and  under  the  name  of  semilla  del 

guacharo    were    considered    very    beneficial    as    a 

cure  for  fevers  of  an  intermittent  nature.     Young 

guacharos  have  been  sent  to  Cumana  and  existed 

for  some  days,  but  without  eating  anything,  the 


THE  GUACHARO  CAVES  47 

hard  and  dry  fruits  offered  apparently  not  being 
suitable  for  them.  The  peritoneum  of  the  young 
bird  is  full  of  fat,  and  a  stratum  of  the  same  sub- 
stance extends  from  the  abdomen  to  the  vent, 
forming  a  sort  of  pillow  between  the  bird's  legs, 
which  are  short  and  weak.  The  nests  are  built 
in  the  shape  of  a  funnel,  through  the  holes  of 
which,  by  the  aid  of  torches  attached  to  long 
poles,  we  could  see  the  roof  of  the  cave  was  pierced 
like  a  sieve. 

After  proceeding  a  little  farther  we  came  upon 
a  passage  30  feet  in  length,  but  not  more  than 
2  feet  high  or  wide.  At  this  spot,  from  almost 
under  our  feet,  a  white  rabbit  darted  away  down 
the  tunnel,  and  as  no  other  mode  of  locomotion 
appeared  feasible,  we  had  to  copy  the  quadruped 
and  move  along  on  our  hands  and  knees.  It  was 
rough  work,  as  the  roof  at  times  so  nearly  ap- 
proached the  ground  as  to  compel  us  to  scrape 
along  on  our  stomachs  in  the  mud.  After  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  of  this  eel-like  movement,  at 
the  end  of  which  I  found  I  had  acquired  a  coating 
of  rich  dark-red  mud  or  clay,  we  emerged  into 
"  El  Cueva  del  Silenzio,"  the  largest  of  all  the 
caves.  This,  as  well  as  all  the  others  we  subse- 
quently visited,  was  impassable  to  the  birds,  and 
the  profound  stillness  made  a  delightful  contrast 
to  the  noise  in  the  cave  we  had  just  left.  It  was 
this  grotto  which  the  natives  believed  to  be  a  sort 
of  purgatory.  The  Indians  assured  us  there  was 
no  outlet  to  it  on  the  other  side,  and  our  attempts 
to  make  them  proceed  proved  as  fruitless  as  those 
of  the  last  European  visitors  had  been  in   1799. 


48  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Not  one  step  would  they  take  towards  the  place 
associated  in  their  minds  with  the  spirits  of  their 
dead  forefathers,  so,  going  back  a  short  distance, 
we  entered  another  cave,  the  ceiling,  sides,  and 
floor  of  which  consisted  of  purest  crystal,  tinted 
with  black,  red,  and  white.  On  the  right  were 
huge  stalactites,  resembling  in  shape  the  pipes  of 
a  large  organ,  and  fronting  us  were  others  which 
by  process  of  time  had  assumed  the  outline  of  an 
altar.  From  the  centre  of  the  roof  hung  an  im- 
mense stalactite  of  a  dazzling  crystal  consistence, 
which,  when  struck,  reverberated  with  a  hollow 
sound  like  that  of  a  deep-toned  bell;  and  as  the 
echoes  died  away  in  the  distant  aisles  and  caves 
through  which  we  had  come  or  had  still  to  traverse, 
we  seemed  to  stand  amidst  the  ruins  of  a  chapel 
where  once  the  dead  of  ages  past  had  met  to  worship 
their  Creator  in  all  the  simple  grandeur  of  primaeval 
adoration.  Deeply  impressed,  we  quitted  the  im- 
posing sight  for  "  El  Cueva  del  Diamantes,"  so  called 
on  account  of  a  column,  some  10  feet  high,  in  the 
centre,  incrustated  with  pure  white  crystal  in  such 
a  way  as  to  resemble  a  cluster  of  diamonds.  We 
left  this  cave  by  an  aperture  opposite  to  the  one 
which  gave  us  entrance,  and  by  dint  of  scrambling 
and  crawling  contrived  to  push  on,  our  chief  trouble 
being  the  want  of  something  to  lay  hold  of  to  avoid 
slipping,  the  only  objects  presenting  themselves 
to  our  grasp  being  stalactites,  which,  generally 
brittle,  broke  when  any  strain  was  laid  on  them. 
Our  struggles  eventually  brought  us  to  the  brink 
of  a  black,  eerie-looking  pool,  into  which  we 
plunged,   as  there  was  no  other  way  of  getting 


-:     "5 


i9 


THE  GUACHARO  CAVES  51 

across  it.  We  swam  for  about  20  feet,  but  were 
soon  wellnigh  smothered  with  the  red  soil  of  the 
caves.  After  we  had  climbed  out  of  the  pool  our 
progress  became  still  more  irregular,  and  at  one 
difficult  place  we  all  assumed  a  sitting  posture 
and  slipped  down  for  about  10  feet.  This  last 
exploit  was  enough,  and  we  retraced  our  steps  to 
the  first  cave.  On  entering  it  the  screams  of  the 
guacharos  again  fell  on  our  ears,  and  with  a  shrill- 
ness intensified  by  our  sudden  return  from  the 
profound  silence  of  the  inner  halls.  When  within 
300  yards  of  the  spot  where  we  had  entered  the  first 
cave,  the  view  of  the  foliage  and  trees  formed  a 
striking  tableau.  It  was  "  like  a  picture  placed 
in  the  distance,  the  mouth  of  the  cavern  serving 
as  a  frame."  The  sunlight  flooding  the  middle  of 
the  cave  had  also,  to  the  eye,  by  this  time  accus- 
tomed to  subterranean  gloom  broken  only  by  the 
light  of  flickering  torches,  a  charming  effect,  and 
it  was  with  an  involuntary  sense  of  freedom  that 
we  once  more  found  ourselves  on  the  fresh  green 
grass  with  the  blue  sky  overhead.  We  spent  four 
days  more  in  the  lovely  Valley  of  the  Guacharo 
before  resuming  our  march.  Then  we  set  out  to 
gain  the  Orinoco  at  Bolivar,  between  which  city 
and  us  there  lay  some  two  or  three  hundred 
miles. 

The  Indian  tribes  which  frequent  this  part  of 
South  America  are  of  a  very  primitive  character, 
scarcely  ever  having  communication  with  the  traders 
and  being  generally  nomadic  in  their  habits.  Their 
attire  is  of  the  simplest  description,  consisting 
merely  of  a  few  beads  and  a  small  piece  of  cloth 


52  FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 

round  the  loins,  and  this  dress  is  by  both  sexes 
considered  sufficient  for  any  occasion.  In  spite 
of  their  remoteness  from  civiUzation,  however,  the 
people,  when  well  treated,  are  of  a  harmless  and 
friendly  disposition.  From  some  of  the  Indians  of 
our  party  I  obtained  a  few  poisoned  arrows,  some 
blowpipes,  and  a  bundle  of  smaller  arrows  used  by 
them  for  shooting  fish. 

The  first  place  we  arrived  at  in  our  cross-country 
journey  rejoiced  in  the  title  of  Guana-guana,  and 
from  the  other  side  of  the  mountain  overlooking 
this  village  a  panorama  was  revealed  of  marvellous 
extent.  From  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach,  lay  the  broad  savannahs, 
stretching  into  the  dim  horizon  like  a  vast  grassy 
ocean.  These  savannahs,  or  llanos,  as  they  are  also 
called,  almost  entirely  occupy  the  basin  of  the 
Orinoco.  When  the  rainy  season  comes  to  an  end 
they  are  covered  with  a  fine  species  of  grass,  and 
form  a  pasture  of  luxuriant  growth  ;  but  while  the 
hot  weather  lasts  the  sun  withers  up  the  vegeta- 
tion, and  fissures  of  considerable  depth  appear  in 
the  parched  ground,  to  remain  until  the  rainy 
season  again  sets  in  and  the  arid  soil  is  once  more 
covered  with  an  exuberant  growth  of  herbage. 

After  leaving  Caicara,  two  days'  journey  from 
Guana-guana,  the  sky  was  our  only  roof  at  night 
until  Bolivar  was  reached.  Unfortunately  for  us, 
the  rainy  season  was  setting  in,  and  we  felt  very 
wretched  at  times  lying  in  our  hammocks,  soaked 
to  the  skin  by  the  sharp  downpour  of  a  tropical 
storm,  which  usually  began  at  midnight  and  lasted 
until  six  or  seven  in  the  morning. 


BOLIVAR— THE  TIGRE  53 

Four  days  after  our  departure  from  the  Guacharo 
Valley  we  came  upon  the  River  Tigre,  which  was 
so  swollen  by  heavy  rains  that  we  were  obliged  to 
wait  twenty-four  hours  for  the  torrent  in  a  measure 
to  subside.  Even  then,  when  we  crossed,  the 
horses  and  mules  were  obliged  to  swim.  A  tree 
growing  at  the  water's  edge,  which  had  been  cut 
down  so  as  to  fall  over  the  opposite  bank,  formed 
a  rough  bridge,  scarcely  passable  even  to  a  pedes- 
trian, as  I  found  when  half-way  across,  the  wood 
in  places  being  very  slippery.  We  had  to  keep  a 
sharp  look-out  for  the  caimans,  electric  eels  and 
alligators  with  which  the  Tigre  was  swarming, 
and  concerning  whose  fierceness  and  voracity  we 
had  heard  many  tales  and  received  many  cautions. 

Provisions  were  running  short,  and  we  replen- 
ished our  larder  and  made  a  sans  cocho  of  any- 
thing edible.  This  sans  cocho  is  a  soup  made  of 
fish,  flesh,  and  fowl,  other  things  being  added 
indiscriminately,  all  stewed  together  and  seasoned 
with  hunger  sauce.  It  made  a  delicious  supper. 
The  araguato  {Mycetes  ursinus),  or  howling  monkey, 
which  we  saw,  is  something  like  a  young  bear.  The 
fur  is  bushy  and  of  a  tawny  rufous  colour  ;  the  tail 
is  prehensile,  and  the  part  which  the  animal  uses 
in  laying  hold  of  a  branch  is  naked  below,  so  that 
it  must  have  a  much  keener  sensibility  to  touch 
than  the  rest  of  the  tail.  The  face  is  of  a  dark 
colour  and  wrinkled,  the  head  pyramidal  in  shape, 
and  in  the  upper  part  of  the  inferior  jaw  there  is 
a  bony  drum  connected  with  the  larynx,  whereby 
the  animal  is  enabled  to  give  forth  the  horrible 
yell  which  resembles  with  twofold  power  the  wind 


54  FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 

roaring  in  a  chimney  on  a  tempestuous  night. 
There  is  an  air  of  melancholy  observable  in  the 
movements  of  the  animal,  and  should  you  shoot 
at  a  young  one  as  the  mother  is  carrying  it  on  her 
back,  the  parent's  grief  is  quite  touching.  She 
stops,  utters  a  piteous  cry,  and  shows  her  child, 
as  if  beseeching  you  to  spare  it.  The  monkeys 
begin  to  howl  immediately  after  sunset  and  just 
before  sunrise,  but  are  generally  quiet  during  the 
night,  unless  disturbed  by  any  other  animal,  when 
they  raise  their  voices  with  fearful  vigour,  so  as  to 
be  heard  to  a  considerable  distance.  They  feed  on 
fruit  and  foliage.  We  also  saw  some  very  fine 
specimens  of  snakes,  to  which,  several  being  recog- 
nized as  of  a  poisonous  nature,  a  wide  berth  was 
given.  At  length,  after  two  more  days'  journeying 
over  the  savannahs  without  any  noteworthy  inci- 
dents, we  sighted  the  Orinoco  at  that  part  on 
which  Bolivar  is  situated. 

The  old  name  of  Bolivar  is  Angostura,  from 
which  comes  the  name  of  the  famous  bitters,  derived 
from  a  herb  common  to  the  country.  I  continued 
the  journey  to  the  gold-mines  of  El  Calao,  where 
I  caught  the  jungle  fever.  Luckily  I  was  able 
to  board  a  steamer  for  Trinidad,  and  caught  the 
Royal  Mail  boat  to  Southampton.  The  fever  clung 
to  me  for  several  months  ;  the  attacks  caused  me 
to  shake  the  room  with  my  shivering  and  threw 
me  into  a  violent  perspiration.  If  I  had  not  written 
my  account  of  the  journey  while  still  in  South 
America,  it  would  have  been  almost  impossible  for 
me,  after  the  illness,  to  recollect  the  details. 


CHAPTER  in 

THE  VINEYARDS  OF  FRANCE,  SPAIN,  AND 
PORTUGAL 

In  the  years  1878  and  1879  my  travels  were  chiefly 
of  a  business  character,  as  I  spent  several  months 
in  all  learning  something  about  sherry,  port,  and 
the  still  wines  of  France.  On  October  2,  1878, 
I  left  St.  Katherine's  Wharf  in  the  s.s.  Bittern  for 
Bordeaux  to  see  the  vintage.  The  fare  in  those 
days  was  £3  first-class,  and  one  paid  £1  for  all  the 
meals  taken  on  the  voj^age.  After  reaching  Bor- 
deaux I  went  round  the  Medoc  district  with  M. 
Guestier,  whose  wife  the  previous  year  had  been 
burned  to  death  through  her  ball-dress  catching 
fire  in  her  bedroom,  a  tragedy  which  was  deeply 
lamented.  With  Mr.  Barton  I  visited  the  Chateau 
Lafite,  owned  by  Baron  Rothschild,  where  the 
vintage  was  in  full  swing.  I  observed  that  no 
unripe  grapes  were  put  in  the  tubs  which  conveyed 
the  fruit  to  the  troughs.  When  the  troughs,  which 
were  not  unlike  those  used  for  sugar  in  the  West 
Indies,  were  full,  men  stepped  into  them,  and, 
while  a  fiddler  played  a  merry  tune,  they  danced 
with  bared  legs  a  form  of  quadrille.  The  move- 
ments took  them  all  round  the  large  vessels,  and 
when  towards  the  end  they  joined  hands  to  finish 

66 


56  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  dance,  the  grapes  were  completely  crushed. 
The  process  occupied  about  ten  minutes,  and 
although  an  atmosphere  of  gaiety  was  introduced, 
the  treading  must  have  been  hard  work.  The  juice 
from  the  trough  was  transferred  to  a  large  vat 
to  ferment.  Later,  when  it  had  become  clear  and 
cool,  it  was  transferred  to  hogsheads,  where  the 
fermentation  continued.  The  pulp  left  in  the 
troughs  was  placed  in  a  press  to  be  used  for  cattle 
fodder.  At  the  Chateau  Margaux,  belonging  to 
the  Paris  banker,  M.  Aguado,  which  I  also  visited, 
the  pressing  was  done  with  stones.  I  remained  in 
Bordeaux  for  some  weeks,  learning  the  claret  and 
sauterne  trades,  and  tasting  the  difiEerent  wines. 

Chateau  Lafite  Rothschild  1864,  one  of  the  great  golden 
years,  and  distinguished  by  its  beautiful  bouquet  and  flavour 
and  its  delicacy,  smoothness  and  elegance. 

Chateau  Margaux  1870  (the  year  of  the  Franco-Grerman 
War,  and  classed  among  the  many  good  years). 

Chateau  d'Yquem  1874  (white  wine).  This  grape  is  one  of 
the  few  which  almost  drop  o£E  the  vine  before  being  picked, 
and  contains  an  enormous  quantity  of  natural  saccharine. 

Chateau  Latour  1875  (this  was  one  of  the  richest  years  of 
the  century),  of  velvet  taste  and  charming  bouquet. 

Chateau  Haut  Brion  1858,  one  of  the  "  giants"  of  vintage 
years ;  the  summer  was  one  of  intense  heat,  which  made  the 
vintage  commence  a  fortnight  earlier.  These  wines  had  much 
colour,  flavour  and  delicacy,  and  were  highly  thought  of. 

After  a  few  days  in  Biarritz,  I  proceeded  to 
Paris  to  see  the  Exhibition.  Great  interest  was 
taken  in  the  illumination  of  the  Avenue  de  1' Opera 
for  the  first  time  with  electric  light,  and  one  of  the 
great  attractions  in  the  evenings  for  visitors  was 


SPAIN  57 

the  Jardin  Mabille,  where  they  danced  the  "  can- 
can." During  my  stay  I  went  up  in  the  captive 
balloon  at  the  Tuileries,  thus  gaining  my  first 
experience  of  an  ascent  into  the  air.  In  later 
years — as  I  shall  show  in  this  book — I  made 
many  trips  in  free  balloons,  and  so  graduated  for 
the  flights  by  aeroplane  which  I  have  enjoyed  in 
recent  times. 

On  December  18,  1878,  I  left  England  again  for 
the  South  of  Spain,  in  the  company  of  the  Count 
and  Countess  of  Bayona,  who  had  invited  me  to 
stay  with  them  at  Jerez-de-la-Frontera.  We  tra- 
velled to  Jerez,  or  Xeres,  as  it  is  called  by  the 
Spaniards,  by  way  of  Paris,  Madrid,  and  Seville. 
The  Count's  house  was  of  a  true  Spanish  type,  in 
the  Moorish  style.  There  were  marble  pillars  and 
floors,  a  courtyard  with  palms  and  other  tropical 
plants  in  the  centre,  a  beautiful  staircase,  and  fine 
paintings  on  the  walls  of  the  rooms.  For  several 
weeks  I  visited  the  bodegas  nearly  every  day, 
learning  the  treatment  of  sherry  wines  ;  but  also 
found  time  to  visit  Cadiz,  Cordova,  Seville,  and 
the  monastery  at  Cartuja.  The  monks  at  the 
monastery,  who  were  of  the  order  of  Certosa,  had 
each  a  separate  room  and  little  garden.  They 
never  spoke  to  one  another  except  that  when 
they  met  one  brother  would  say,  "  We  must  die," 
and  the  other  would  solemnly  answer,  "  I  know  it." 

In  Jerez  there  were  many  gipsies,  a  race  by 
themselves,  with  peculiar  marriage  ceremonies. 
They  played  guitars,  sang  national  songs  perfectly, 
and  danced,  to  the  clicking  of  castanets,  a  kind  of 
stomach  dance.     It  was  curious  to  see  the  Spanish 


58  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

lovers  standing  for  hours  outside  the  houses  talking 
through  the  iron  bars  to  the  dark  maidens  within. 

Some  three  hours  from  Jerez  I  enjoyed  good 
shooting  on  the  Duke  of  San  Lorenzo's  estate. 
Eight  of  us  were  in  the  party,  and  for  dinner,  after 
our  arrival  at  a  farmhouse,  we  had  many  national 
dishes.  One  of  these,  menudo,  had  been  made  by 
Mr.  Masias,  who  said  he  had  been  up  all  night 
preparing  it.  Whether  this  was  true  or  not,  the 
dish,  made  of  veal  and  tongue,  was  uncommonly 
good.  After  a  pleasant  evening,  I  slept  soundly 
on  a  mattress  on  the  floor.  For  our  sport  the 
following  day  we  divided  into  two  parties.  There 
was  much  noise,  dogs  barking,  and  the  beaters 
shouting  at  the  top  of  their  voices.  We  got  a 
capital  bag,  however,  of  partridges,  quail,  snipe, 
and  plover. 

I  returned  to  the  bodegas  the  next  morning, 
and  proceeded  to  Chincilla  to  buy  wines.  Among 
other  types,  I  tasted  tintilla  (tent  wine),  muscatel, 
and  Malaga.  In  the  evenings  we  drove  up  and 
down  in  the  Capuchinos,  and  saw  pretty  Andalusian 
^irls,  who  wore  black  and  white  mantillas.  Al- 
though I  did  not  see  a  bull-fight  during  my  stay, 
I  visited  the  Plaza  del  Toros  belonging  to  Mr. 
Jose  Bertemati,  who  took  me  all  over  the  place. 
Behind  the  scenes  I  was  shown  a  small  circus 
where  the  bulls  are  assembled  when  they  come  in 
from  the  country,  and  the  dark  cells  where  they 
are    confined   without   food    before    the    combats. 

On  several  occasions  I  went  to  Seville,  and  saw 
the  great  picture  of  the  Infant  Christ  by  Murillo 
in  the  Cathedral,  the  Alcazar,  and  some  interesting 


irlw/o  by  Author. 


GROUP   OF   VINTAGERS   IN   THE   ALTO   DOURO. 


i 


[Plu^/o  by  Author. 
OXEN   DRAWING   A   PIPE   OF   PORT   IN   THE   ALTO   DOURO. 


59 


SEVILLE— CORDOVA— GRANADA  61 

books  about  Columbus  in  the  Library.  I  also 
enjoyed  going  to  the  tobacco  factory  to  watch  the 
women,  old  and  young,  making  cigars  and  cigarettes. 
Sometimes  as  many  as  six  thousand  hands  were 
employed  at  the  factory.  The  Moorish  streets  of 
Seville  were  very  narrow,  and  vehicles  could  only 
pass  up  one  way  and  come  down  another.  Although 
we  were  in  Lent,  the  evenings  were  not  without 
entertainment.  At  the  theatre  there  were  masked 
balls,  or  one  could  go  to  see  the  gipsies  at 
Cervantes  and  listen  to  their  singing. 

After  bidding  adieu  to  the  Count  and  Countess 
of  Bayona,  who  had  been  the  kindest  of  hosts,  I 
left  for  Cordova,  where  the  fine  old  Moorish  mosque 
has  fifty  different  marble  pillars,  and  Granada,  a 
fascinating  city.  I  spent  many  hours  at  the 
Alhambra,  built  by  the  Moors,  which  is  in  a  perfect 
state  of  preservation.  Nightingales  sang  in  the 
splendid  chestnut-trees,  and  in  the  avenues  wild 
violets  grew  luxuriantly.  Fine  views  could  be  had 
of  the  snow-clad  Sierra  Nevada  range.  Granada 
invites  a  long  and  indolent  stay.  Now  that  the 
Englishman  has  acquired  the  habit  of  the  conti- 
nental holiday,  it  is  surprising  that  more  of  my 
countrymen  do  not  visit  Spain. 

The  caves  of  the  gipsies  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Granada  are  curious  and  interesting,  as  they 
are  cut  into  the  mountains.  The  Andalusian  gipsy 
women  are  very  handsome,  and  they  sing  and 
play  the  guitar  delightfully,  although  if  one  could 
understand  all  their  words  and  postures  some  of 
their  songs  might  seem  immoral  to  us.  One  day 
I  engaged  a  man  who  was  reputed  to  be  the  King 


62  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

of  the  Gipsies  to  bring  his  troupe  to  the  hotel  to 
sing  and  dance  with  their  tambourines  and  cas- 
tanets. The  entertainment  cost  me  sixty  pesetas, 
and  for  an  hour  I  felt  like  a  Moorish  sultan.  Leav- 
ing aside  the  subject  of  their  songs,  however,  the 
gipsies  are  a  very  moral  community,  and  keep 
strictly  to  their  own  tribe.  I  noticed  that  they 
were  very  fond  of  Manzanilla  wine. 

Before  returning  to  England  I  visited  Malaga, 
and  saw  the  making  of  Malaga  wine  from  raisins 
dried  in  the  sun.  The  wine  is  rich  and  a  little 
heavy,  but  is  extensively  used  for  blending  pur- 
poses. I  sailed  for  home  in  a  Hall  Line  steamer 
bound  for  Gravesend,  and  after  rounding  Gibraltar 
we  put  into  Cadiz  for  three  days  to  take  in  a  cargo 
of  sherry,  and  also  called  at  Lisbon  and  Vigo.  The 
latter  port  has  a  magnificent  harbour,  with  a 
natural  breakwater  of  islands,  which  would  hold 
all  the  fleets  of  the  world. 

In  the  autumn  of  1879  I  sailed  for  Portugal  in 
the  s.s.  Petrel,  owned  by  the  General  Steamship 
Company.  The  skipper.  Captain  Taylor,  was  a 
very  good  fellow.  When  we  arrived  off  Oporto 
we  had  to  anchor  off  the  dangerous  entrance  to 
the  River  Douro,  owing  to  the  bar  being  very 
narrow.  Ships  had  sometimes  in  those  days  to 
wait  several  weeks  before  they  could  enter  the 
harbour.  I  stayed  a  few  days  in  Oporto  and  then 
went  up  country  to  the  Alto  Douro,  where  the 
best  port  wines  come  from.  We  made  the  journey 
on  horseback,  and  on  the  way  refreshed  the  animals 
with  wine  and  bread.  The  country  is  mountainous, 
and  the  vines  are  cultivated  on  stone  terraces  on 


PORTUGUESE   TYPE   OF   VINTAGER. 


63 


PORTUGAL— THE  PHYLLOXERA     65 

the  side  of  the  hills.  The  vintage  was  in  full  swing, 
and  I  watched  the  men,  mostly  Galicians  from  the 
north  of  Spain,  treading  the  grapes.  As  soon  as 
a  vat,  which  held  the  equivalent  of  about  thirty 
pipes  of  wine,  or  more  than  twenty  thousand 
bottles,  had  been  filled  with  bunches  of  grapes, 
twenty  men  stepped  in  and  began  singing  and 
playing  guitars,  tambourines,  and  fiddles.  They 
paddled  round,  gradually  sinking  lower  and  lower 
in  the  liquid,  with  their  naked  legs,  until  the 
whole  of  the  juice  had  been  pressed  from  the 
fruit.  When  the  performance  was  at  an  end,  we 
lunched  off  a  splendid  sucking-pig  cooked  in  the 
earth  with  wood — the  great  dish  of  the  Portu- 
guese farmer. 

Wines  mostly  drunk  by  the  natives  and  Portuguese  are  the 
light  tawny  ports.  During  my  stay  the  old  crusted  ports  of 
1834,  1847,  1858  (the  great  comet  year)  and  1863  were  most 
interesting  to  taste,  and  rank  among  the  golden  years  of  this 
grand  wine.     One  old  saying  is  : 

*'  All  wines  would  be  port,  if  they  could." 

The  vine  originally  was  brought  to  the  Alto  Douro  from 
the  French  Burgundy  districts. 

At  the  time  of  my  visit  the  Phylloxera  Commis- 
sion was  sitting.  The  disease  was  causing  terrible 
destruction  among  the  vines.  One  vineyard,  with  a 
normal  vintage  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pipes  of 
wine,  after  being  attacked  by  the  plague  yielded 
only  thirteen  pipes.  I  was  shown  the  microscopic 
insect,  which  eats  the  roots  and  kills  the  vines,  alive, 
and  marvelled  at  the  damage  which  so  minute  a 


66  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

pest  could  bring  about.  While  in  Oporto  I  called 
at  the  Factory  Club,  a  fine  building  with  a  ball- 
room, library,  and  dining-room,  belonging  to  the 
British  shippers,  and  reserved  for  the  use  of 
British  residents.  The  visitors'  club  contains  many 
autographs  written  during  the  Peninsular  War. 
From  Oporto  I  proceeded  south  to  Lisbon,  passing 
numerous  cork-trees  on  the  way,  and  there  joined 
a  ship  for  Liverpool. 


CHAPTER  IV 

PALESTINE,  INDIA,  AND  CEYLON 

On  July  1,  1880,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  I 
married,  and  in  the  years  immediately  fol- 
lowing my  travels  were  limited  to  the  nearer 
European  countries,  including  Holland.  In  1885, 
however,  accompanied  by  my  wife,  my  daughter 
Vera,  and  my  brother  Harry,  I  went  for  a  Mediter- 
ranean cruise  on  the  steam  yacht  Ceylon.  This 
was  the  first  public  yachting  tour  arranged,  and  it 
was  very  well  organized  by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Drury 
Lavin.  The  Ceylon  previously  had  been  in  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company's  service.  We 
touched  at  Gibraltar,  Tangiers,  Villefranche  (for 
Monte  Carlo),  the  Isle  of  Ischia,  Naples,  Palermo, 
Cyprus,  and  Athens,  and  then  proceeded  to  Jaffa 
for  Jerusalem.  There  were  no  railways  then  to 
Jerusalem,  and  after  being  landed  in  big  barges, 
we  took  dragomans,  and  made  the  journey  on 
horseback  or  in  conveyances.  Before  arriving  at 
Jaffa  we  could  smell  the  orange-blossom  for  m'les 
out  at  sea. 

We  were  at  Jerusalem  on  Easter  Sunday,  and 
went  to  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  to  see 
the  people  light  the  candles  from  the  Holy  Fire 
which  is  supposed  to  come  out  of  the  Sepulchre. 

4.  «7 


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68  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

They  got  very  fanatical,  and  burned  their  bodies 
and  heads  with  the  flame.  Mohammedan  Turkish 
soldiers  with  rifles  and  fixed  bayonets  had  to  keep 
order  in  the  church.  During  our  stay  in  Palestine 
we  visited  Jericho,  Bethlehem,  and  the  Dead  Sea. 
My  brother  and  I  had  a  swim  in  the  Dead  Sea,  and 
found  it  was  impossible  to  sink  in  the  salt  and 
buoyant  water. 

Our  cruise  also  included  Port  Said  and  Alex- 
andria, which  had  not  long  been  taken  by  the 
English,  and  where  one  saw  the  words  "  Army  of 
Occupation "  written  up  everywhere  in  large 
letters. 

Passing  over  six  intervening  years,  some  inter- 
esting incidents  may  next  be  recorded  in  this  volume 
of  a  long  tour  through  India,  Burmah,  and  Ceylon 
in  1891  and  1892.  The  voyage  to  Bombay  was 
made  in  the  P.  and  0.  steamer  Thames,  and  we 
touched  at  Gibraltar,  Marseilles,  Port  Said,  and 
Aden.  At  Bombay,  Mr.  Quanborough  kindly  put 
me  up  as  a  temporary  member  of  the  Yacht  Club, 
where  it  was  very  pleasant  to  dine  in  the  evening. 
I  engaged  a  bearer,  a  native  of  Madras  who  spoke 
English,  at  a  wage  of  30  rupees  a  month,  and  he 
provided  his  own  food !  Such  a  servant,  who, 
without  regard  to  age,  is  invariably  called  "  Boy,'* 
acts  as  valet  and  courier,  and  while  collecting  a 
little  baksheesh  for  himself,  takes  care  that  his 
master  is  not  robbed  by  other  natives. 

From  Bombay  I  proceeded  to  Cashmere,  and  at 
Jeypore  put  up  at  a  dak  bungalow  belonging  to 
the  Maharajah,  a  most  comfortable  building.  In 
India  you  travelled  with  your  own  bed  and  mat- 


V  OS 

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71 


JEYPORE— AGRA— MEERUT  73 

tress,   which   could   be   put   down   anywhere,   and 
enabled   you   to   sleep   if   necessary   in   a   railway 
station.      The    streets    of    Jeypore    presented    an 
animated    and    extraordinary    Eastern    spectacle. 
Temples  were  numerous,  and  I  saw  hundreds  of 
monkeys,   which   are   sacred,   jumping    from    one 
balcony    to     another.        Elephants    and    camels, 
funeral   processions   taking   bodies   to   be   burned, 
four-horsed    closed    carriages    in    which    rode    the 
Maharajah's    wives,    rigorously    hidden    from    the 
vulgar  gaze,   and  fakirs  were  all  mingled  in  the 
picturesque  scene.     In  the  evenings  I  went  into 
the  town  to  see  the  natives  dancing  to  the  curious 
and  ancient  music  of  tom-toms  and  reed  instruments. 
At  Agra  I  was  greatly  impressed  with  the  won- 
derful Taj,  rightly  described  as  the  most  beautiful 
tomb  ever  built  in  the  world ;  but  it  was  best  to 
look  on  the  loveliness  of  its  architecture  by  moon- 
light and  when  there  was  no  band  playing.     A 
band  seemed  to  clash  with  the    sacredness    and 
sublimity   of   the   monument.     I   reached   Meerut 
during  the  military  manoeuvres,  and  as  there  was 
no  accommodation  in  the  town.  Captain  Holland 
lent  me  a  Cabul  tent.     An  early  morning  review 
of  the  troops  by  the  late  Lord  Roberts  (then  Sir 
Frederick  Roberts)  was  a  fine  sight,  and  included 
a  thrilling  two-mile  gallop  by  six  thousand  horse- 
men.    Christmas  Day  I  spent  at  Nowshera  with 
Captain  Keith-Falconer,  who  had   been  a   fellow- 
passenger  in  the  Thames ^  and  enjoyed  an  excellent 
Christmas    dinner    with    his    regiment,    the    5th 
Northumberland    Fusiliers.       The    following    day 
Lieutenant    Hodson,    of    the    well-known    family 


74  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

of  Hodson's  Horse,  invited  me  to  see  the  famous 
Guide  Corps.  Keith-Falconer  rode  with  me  from 
Nowshera  to  Hoti  Madan,  and  we  were  met  half- 
way by  mule-carts  sent  out  to  meet  us.  The 
Guides  were  established  in  1846,  and  never  changed 
their  quarters.  They  had  a  fine  mess-house.  While 
staying  there  I  joined  in  a  jackal  hunt.  Many 
beaters  were  provided  from  the  different  regiments, 
and  we  got  four  jackals  and  one  wild  cat. 

After  a  visit  to  Peshawar  I  obtained  a  permit 
for  the  Khyber  Pass,  and  made  the  journey  to  the 
narrowest  part  of  this  interesting  passage  from 
India  to  Afghanistan.  The  route  was  strongly 
guarded  by  the  Khyber  Rifles  and  cavalry  for  the 
protection  of  travellers  and  transport.  In  the 
Pass  I  met  the  Cabul  and  Indian  caravans,  with 
thousands  of  camels  laden  with  merchandise,  and 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  resident  of  Cabul, 
who  said  he  would  write  to  the  Ameer  of  Afghani- 
stan and  get  permission  for  me  to  visit  the  country. 
He  despatched  a  dak  runner,  but  the  answer  did 
not  arrive  before  my  departure  for  Cashmere. 
On  the  last  day  of  1891  I  was  in  Murree,  the  hill 
station,  but  the  town  was  cold,  dreary,  and  de- 
serted. Even  the  church  clock  had  stopped,  and 
there  were  no  bells  to  ring  in  the  New  Year.  The 
next  night  found  me  in  Cashmere  territory,  and  I 
slept  at  the  Garhi  dak  bungalow,  which  was  pro- 
vided with  champagne  and  choice  food  intended 
for  the  use  of  travellers.  A  price-list  was  hung 
up,  and  it  was  left  to  the  proverbial  honesty  of 
the  Englishman  to  leave  behind  payment  for  what 
he  used. 


CASHMERE  75 

The  Vale  of  Cashmere  is  very  beautiful  and  the 
climate  delightful.  Fruits  such  as  apples,  pears, 
strawberries,  grapes,  apricots,  and  mulberries 
flourish  there.  I  got  some  wild-duck  shooting, 
but  the  birds  were  very  wary  and  seemed  to  know 
the  exact  distance  which  would  keep  them  out 
of  range.  At  Serinagar  the  Assistant-Resident, 
Captain  Chenevix-Trench,  put  me  up  at  the  Resi- 
dency, a  beautiful  English  type  of  country  house, 
I  think  if  I  could  not  live  in  England  there  is  no 
place  to  which  I  would  sooner  retire  than  Cashmere. 
The  British  could  have  bought  the  whole  of  the 
State  for  less  than  a  million  pounds  after  the  Sikh 
War  of  1846,  and  it  would  have  made  a  splendid 
hill  resort  for  white  troops,  including  women  and 
children.  Now  the  Maharajah  will  not  allow  any- 
one to  buy  land,  and  if  a  house  is  built  it  is  the 
property  of  the  State.  The  idea  seems  to  be  that 
if  one  Englishman  comes  they  will  all  come.  From 
his  own  point  of  view  the  Maharajah  is  probably 
right. 

The  capital  of  Cashmere,  Serinagar  or  Srinagur 
— the  name  is  Indian  and  difficult  to  turn  into 
English — has  a  population  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand. The  mountains  of  the  country  exceed  in 
height  and  grandeur  those  of  Switzerland,  but  in 
the  valleys  are  lovely  lakes  and  serene  and  tranquil 
rivers.  Travelling  is  pleasant  and  not  at  all  difficult. 
Bungalows,  house-boats,  or  rest-houses,  provided  by 
the  Maharajah,  are  placed  at  convenient  halting- 
places,  and  at  these  one  may  spend  the  night  at 
a  small  charge,  though  it  is  necessary  to  have  one's 
own  bed  or  sleeping-bag. 


78  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

The  stations  are  Rawal  Pindi,  Murree,  Kohala, 
Dulai,  Domel,  Garhi,  Uri,  Baramula,  Serinagar. 
The  average  height  above  the  sea  is  2,000  feet  at 
Kohala,  and  5,250  feet  at  Serinagar.  The  rope 
bridges  are  of  the  suspension  type,  but  there  is 
an  iron  bridge  on  the  cantilever  principle  at  Domel, 
where  many  Sikhs  and  Pathans  live  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. Nothing  could  have  been  more  enjoy- 
able than  being  paddled  and  towed,  as  we  were, 
along  the  river  and  lake  from  Baramula  to  Serin- 
agar. It  was  just  like  going  up  our  royal  Thames 
in  a  house-boat,  and  reminded  me  of  my  Dolce 
Far  Niente  house-boat  at  Henley.  One  could  get 
plenty  of  exercise  by  walking  along  the  banks,  or 
by  helping  the  fair  Cashmeri  boat-girl  with  the  short 
paddles.  These  young  girls  are  sometimes  very 
beautiful,  and  with  their  straight  noses  have  some- 
thing in  common  with  the  fair  women  of  ancient 
Egypt  and  Biblical  narrative.  Towing  during  the 
night  makes  sleep  difficult,  as  there  is  much  talking 
and  singing  during  the  voyage  up  the  river.  Peace 
comes,  however,  when  your  escort  feels  inclined  to 
stop,  and  the  whole  family — men,  women,  and 
children — retire  to  their  own  boat  doonga  and  go 
to  sleep.  My  bearer  from  Madras  felt  very  proud 
to  make  this  trip  with  me,  as  the  high  caste  of  the 
Cashmeri  looks  down  on  a  southern  Indian. 

I  noticed  a  curious  fashion  the  people  have  of 
warming  themselves  by  tying  round  their  waists 
a  flower-pot  covered  with  basket-work.  In  the 
pot  they  place  hot  wood  ashes,  and  then  squat 
down  on  the  ground  in  their  loose  burnouses. 

From  Serinagar  I  journeyed  to  Calcutta  by  way 


THE  IRRAWADDY  77 

of  Amritsar,  Cawnpore,  Lucknow,  and  Benares, 
where  I  saw  the  cremation  ghats  on  the  sacred 
Ganges.  At  the  end  of  January  I  proceeded  to 
Rangoon,  the  capital  of  Burma.  The  Burmese 
women  are  very  picturesque.  They  are  not  unlike 
the  Siamese,  and  they  do  not  cover  their  faces 
like  the  Mohammedan  women  in  India.  I  met  a 
Burmese  funeral  in  the  town.  The  procession 
included  bullock-carts  filled  with  presents  offered 
to  Buddha.  I  also  went  to  the  timber-yards  to 
see  elephants  moving  the  teak  logs. 

From  my  diary  I  have  extracted  the  following 
notes  of  an  excursion  into  country  then  little 
known  to  the  average  traveller : 

A  trip  up  the  Irrawaddy  River  is  most  enjoyable.  The 
boats  are  mostly  flat  bottomed,  as  in  some  parts  the  water 
is  very  shallow,  and  long  poles  are  used  to  push  the  steamer 
off  from  the  banks.  Went  on  board  the  Irrawaddy  Flotilla 
Company  to  Mandalay  and  Bhamo.  The  ships  are  very 
comfortable,  and  lit  by  electricity.  Mandalay  and  Upper 
Burmah  we  had  not  long  conquered,  and  there  were  many 
dacoits  about.  Went  over  the  palace  of  King  Theebaw, 
who  is  a  prisoner,  and  through  the  bazaars  and  pagodas. 
The  Burmese  girls  dress  in  pretty  silk  costumes  and  wear 
flowers  in  their  hair.  They  are  always  smoking  cheroots. 
They  are  excellent  housekeepers,  and  very  popular  in  this 
capacity  with  the  Europeans.  In  the  evening  I  had  a  Burmese 
peacock  tattoed  on  my  arm  as  a  souvenir  of  Mandalay.  All 
the  men  are  tattooed,  and  the  designs  make  them  look  as 
though  they  had  bathing  drawers  on  their  legs.  The  women 
and  girls  are  not  tattooed. 

Met  Captain  Barwick,  who  offered  me  a  pass  from  Bhamo 
to  Senbo,  2nd  Defile,  and  Deputy  Commissioner  Mr.  George, 
Assistant  Commissioner  Mr.  Symms,  and  Lieutenant  Williamson, 
who  kindly  gave  me  an  escort  and  ponies  to  the  Chinese 


78  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

frontier  of  Yunnan.  I  felt  very  happy  to  get  off  the  beaten 
path  and  again  explore  a  country  not  described  in  guide- 
books. 

We  left  Bhamo  at  6  a.m.  for  Nampoung.  Beautiful  moon. 
Passed  through  jungle,  and  swam  the  rivers  with  our  ponies. 
One  Sikh  accompanied  me  to  Nampoung,  where  we  had  tiffin 
and  changed  ponies.  Four  sowars,  with  their  rifles  and  fast 
riding  ponies,  accompanied  me  as  an  escort  to  the  Chinese 
frontier,  where  there  was  a  difficulty  about  the  frontier 
marking.  Good  road  over  the  mountains  along  the  Taiping 
and  Nampoung  River.  The  ponies  crawled  up  the  bridle- 
paths like  cats.  Gold- washing  was  going  on  in  the  mountain 
streams,  and  we  passed  Chinese  mule  caravans,  carrying  red 
flags  in  front,  and  many  chow  dogs.  Marching  along,  we 
had  always  to  go  straight  through  a  caravan,  as  a  European 
has  the  preference  of  the  road.  The  Chinese  had  four  forts, 
and  the  Chinese  soldiers,  with  their  red-and-blue  uniforms, 
looked  very  picturesque.  Owing  to  the  strained  relationship 
between  Burmah  and  China,  I  could  not  get  a  pass  to  go  on. 
Stayed  with  Captain  Carrick  in  a  cane-built  bungalow,  and 
next  morning  swam  over  to  China  and  picked  flowers  in  a 
lovely  pool.  Visited  the  English  camp  and  stockade.  Riding 
one  day,  came  across  some  Chin  and  Chans.  They  ran  away 
from  me  frightened,  evidently  thinking  we  were  going  to 
harm  them.  When  I  tried  to  get  near,  they  all  put  out  their 
tongues  for  fear,  and,  not  knowing  their  language,  I  could 
not  get  them  to  put  them  in  again.  Eventually  they  gave 
me  some  tobacco,  and  I  handed  over  a  few  rupees,  but  they 
could  not  make  out  where  I  came  from. 

Arrived  at  Senbo,  2nd  Defile,  and  returned  by  river  to 
Mandalay.  At  Mingoon  there  is  the  second  largest  bell  in 
the  world.  Lord  Roberts  was  staying  at  Mandalay,  and  an 
evening  fete  was  given  in  his  honour  at  King  Theebaw's 
palace.  The  pouay  dances  and  bells  were  very  pretty.  The 
Buddhist  priests  dress  in  yellow,  and  go  from  house  to  house 
collecting  food  for  the  monastery  and  poor. 

Very  sorry  to  leave  Burmah.  It  is  a  most  infatuating 
country,  with  charming,  natural  people,  and  I  can  recommend 


GROUP  OF   ANDAMANESE. 


Period  1891. 


79 


I 


THE  ANDAMANS— CEYLON  81 

this  trip  on   the   Irrawaddy  River  to  Mandalay  instead  of 
the  Nile  journey  for  a  change. 


My  next  call  was  at  Port  Blair,  in  the  Andaman 
Islands.  A  Government  steam-launch  took  me 
ashore  from  the  Asiatic  Company's  steamer  Shah 
Jehan,  and  I  was  able  to  see  something  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  group.  The  Andamanese  are 
jet  black,  and  the  men  go  about  quite  naked.  The 
women,  too,  confine  their  attire  to  a  few  leaves, 
but  are  fond  of  painting  their  faces  and  bodies 
with  white  paint  or  of  smearing  themselves  from 
head  to  foot  with  turtle  fat.  Many  are  tattooed. 
I  walked  up  Mount  Harriett,  and  saw  a  number  of 
Manipuri  prisoners,  including  a  Tonga  general.  At 
the  prisons  on  Viper  Island  were  more  than  three 
hundred  convicts  serving  life  sentences,  mostly  for 
murder.  It  was  here  that  Lord  Mayo,  Viceroy  of 
India,  was  assassinated.  The  convicts  are  allowed 
to  marry  in  the  island  after  they  have  been  there 
a  number  of  years.  They  till  the  soil,  and  are  used 
by  Europeans  for  various  forms  of  work,  even 
such  a  task  as  looking  after  children.  The  climate 
of  the  Andaman  Isles,  I  think,  is  the  hottest  of  any 
place  I  have  visited. 

After  a  call  at  Madras,  where  Mr.  Wyatt,  the 
manager  of  the  Agra  Bank,  put  me  up  for  the 
Club,  one  of  the  oldest  and  finest  in  India,  I  changed 
steamers  and  journeyed  on  to  Colombo.  In  Ceylon 
I  was  anxious  to  get  out  of  the  beaten  track,  and 
decided  to  go  in  search  of  the  real  wild  men,  the 
Veddahs,  perhaps  the  lowest  type  of  human  beings 
in  the  world.     Even  then  the  race  was  fast  dying 


82  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

out.  First,  I  went  to  Kandy  and  had  a  look  at 
the  Buddhist  temple,  where  the  tooth  of  Buddha 
is  supposed  to  be  deposited. 

Starting  from  Kandy,  with  its  lovely  lake  sur- 
rounded by  hills  thickly  covered  with  foliage,  I 
took  the  mail-coach  as  far  as  Teldeniya,  thus 
getting  a  good  view  in  the  early  stage  of  the 
journey  of  the  Mahavila-ganga,  the  largest  river 
Ceylon  can  boast  of,  and  which  has  to  be  crossed 
on  the  way  to  Teldeniya  rest-house,  which  is  reached 
after  a  picturesque  drive  of  twelve  miles  through 
beautiful  tropical  scenery.  At  Teldeniya  rest-house 
I  stayed  the  night,  being  very  comfortably  put  up, 
and  next  morning  at  daybreak  set  off,  with  my 
tent,  kit,  and  provisions  stowed  away  in  a  bullock- 
cart,  away  past  the  village  of  Urugalla  up  into 
higher  country,  the  road  being  a  steady  ascent 
all  the  way  up  from  Teldeniya.  Arrived  at  the 
summit  of  the  hill,  the  more  trying  part  of  the 
journey  began,  as  the  road  is  here  left  on  the  right, 
and  one  has  to  set  out  across  country  in  the  care 
of  a  guide,  coolies  carrying  the  baggage.  I  was 
fortunately  circumstanced,  for  Mr.  Thorburn, 
the  Assistant  Government  Agent  at  Kandy,  had 
very  kindly  sent  on  a  peon  to  the  Ratemahatmeya 
at  Urugalla,  with  the  result  that  when  I  reached 
there  I  found  that  the  headman  had  an  elephant 
in  waiting  to  bear  me  the  rest  of  the  journey.  By 
means  of  zigzag  paths,  through  a  country  in  which 
waterfalls  and  gently  undulating  lands  in  the 
foreground,  and  high  mountains  away  in  the  dis- 
tance, offered  constant  variety  of  scene,  we  came 
to  the  Pass  of  Galpadihila,  in  the  heart  of  a  fine 


63 


THE  VEDDAH  COUNTRY  85 

jungle  country,  and  through  it  to  the  summit  of 
Belungala,  from  which  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
w^hole  of  the  Uva  Province  and  the  Terai  country 
is  obtained,  together  with  a  gUmpse  of  the  village 
of  Bintenne,  with  its  old  Buddhist  temple,  the 
Mahavila-ganga,  the  irrigation  tanks,  and  the 
Veddah  country  beyond.  Six  miles  more  of  zigzag 
paths  brought  me  to  Bintenne.  Just  before  reach- 
ing the  rest-house  there  I  noticed  the  first  traces 
of  a  wild  elephant,  and  the  natives  informed  me 
that  the  spoor  was  that  of  a  notorious  rogue  tusker, 
which  already  had  had  many  bullets  put  in  its 
hide  by  sportsmen,  but  which  had  not  yet  become 
a  trophy.  The  rest-house,  which  nestles  in  a  covert 
of  plantain -trees,  makes  a  very  acceptable  halting- 
place  after  the  twenty-eight  miles'  journey  from 
Teldeniya,  and  I  spent  the  night  there.  Next 
morning  at  daybreak  I  resumed  the  journey,  taking 
with  me  fresh  coolies  and  a  jungle  guide,  named 
Vitharama,  and  an  ex-Jcorale  of  the  district,  Punchi 
Banda,  who  knew  the  locality  well.  Crossing  the 
river,  a  journey  of  twenty  miles  through  much 
the  same  surroundings  as  the  previous  day  brought 
me  to  the  Veddah  country.  Up  to  this  time  my 
experiences  had  been  of  the  pleasantest  descrip- 
tion. This  month  is  the  best  in  the  whole  year 
for  jungle  travelling,  and  everything  looked  at  its 
best.  The  trees  were  a  rich  green,  while  fields  of 
blue  forget-me-nots  and  orchids  and  convolvuli  in 
full  bloom,  with  wild  orange-blossom  scenting  the 
air,  and  gorgeous  butterflies  fluttering  here  and 
there  made  up  a  charming  sylvan  scene.  The 
path  lay  for  a  long  way  through  a  stream,  in  which 


86  FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 

our  party  marched  knee-deep,  groping  their  way 
in  true  jungle-trackers'  fashion,  one  foot  in  front 
of  the  other.  In  the  sand  near  the  stream  the 
prints  of  leopards,  bears,  and  deer  could  be  seen, 
while  that  elephants  had  been  there  but  a  little 
while  previously  and  had  moved  off  at  our  approach 
was  very  apparent.  Arriving  at  Beligalla,  I  was 
in  the  heart  of  the  Rock  Veddah  country,  and  I 
sent  out  jungle-trackers  to  find  the  natives,  a  work 
of  difficulty,  as  they  are  a  nomadic  race  who  have 
to  be  traced  out  in  much  the  same  way  as  a 
sportsman  seeks  out  his  game.  These  men  are  as 
primitive  as  ever,  and  still  live  wild,  their  food 
being  the  honey  they  collect  and  the  deer  they 
bring  down  by  means  of  their  bows  and  arrows, 
and  their  covering  at  night  the  hollow  trunk  of 
some  tree  or  a  cave.  Altogether  there  were  then 
about  a  hundred  in  the  jungle,  including  men, 
women,  and  children  from  Dambara,  Bulugahala- 
dena,  and  Kunarthumulla.  I  found  after  some 
search  three  men,  two  women,  and  three  children. 
Their  hair  hung  loosely  round  their  heads,  they 
wore  little  or  no  dress,  and  their  voices  were  curious 
— more  like  a  bark  than  anything  else.  Their 
language  is  entirely  their  own.  Their  only  weapons 
were  the  axe  and  the  bow  and  arrow.  They  gave 
me  some  honeycomb  and  venison  prepared  in 
honey,  together  with  ben'ies  from  the  trees  they 
live  on,  and,  altogether,  I  was  very  much  interested 
with  all  I  saw  concerning  them.  On  my  return 
journey  I  travelled  the  distance  by  moonlight  to 
avoid  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  found  this  very 
pleasant,    with   myriads    of   fireflies   lighting   our 


87 


THE  VEDDAHS— COLOMBO  89 

progress.  The  nights  are  cold,  and  when  we 
halted  at  night  we  found  it  necessary  to  light  large 
fires  to  keep  warm. 

When  I  got  back  to  Colombo  I  stayed  there 
some  days  waiting  for  a  steamer.  The  prawn 
curries  at  the  hotel  were  excellent.  Sailed  for 
London  by  P.O.  Victoria^  a  Jubilee  ship. 


I 


CHAPTER  V 

EARLY    DAYS    OF    MOTORING 

Now  that  the  fortunate  owner  of  a  Rolls-Royce 
car  can  have  breakfast  in  London,  make  conces- 
sions in  speed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  suspected 
police  traps,  and  arrive  by  road  at  Bournemouth 
in  good  time  for  lunch,  the  comedy  and  tragedy 
of  the  early  days  of  motoring  seem  far  away.  As 
a  pioneer  among  motor  enthusiasts,  I  have  myself 
vivid  recollections  of  the  troubled  birth  and  slow 
development  of  a  form  of  transport  which  has  now 
become  universal.  It  was  in  1896  that  I  had  my 
first  experience  with  a  car.  This  was  a  great  year 
for  the  bicycle,  and  I  remember  that  in  the  morn- 
ings and  afternoons  the  road  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Serpentine  in  Hyde  Park  was  a  rendezvous 
of  those  who  had  taken  up  cycling  as  a  pastime 
and  form  of  exercise.  Cyclists  also  delighted  in 
the  afternoon  to  pedal  their  machines  round 
Battersea  Park.  With  my  daughter  Vera,  who 
was  then  at  school  in  Paris,  I  made  a  cycle  tour 
in  1896  from  Aix-les-Bains  to  Geneva.  While 
among  the  mountains  we  made  the  ascent  of  Mont 
Blanc,  accompanied  by  four  guides,  and  then 
travelled  to  Beaune,  where  we  saw  the  cars  taking 
part  in  the  Paris-Marseilles    race    pass    through 

the  town.     This   was   the  second  race   organized 

go 


i'hcto  hy  Author. 

THE   ASCKNT   Ol    MoXT   BLANC   WITH    MY    UAIGHTEK   VERA 
AND   GUIDES. 
Period  l8c)6. 

91 


EARLY  MOTOR-CARS  98 

in  France,  the  first  one  in  1895  having  been  run 
from  Paris  to  Bordeaux. 

Met  my  friends  Mr.  Bodle,  of  London,  and  M.  Jean  Calvet ; 
dined  with  M.  Passier  at  his  house  on  the  old  ramparts  and 
also  with  Mr.  Gorges -Germain  at  Savigny. 

Tasted  the  grand  vintage  wines  of  the  Cote  d'Or,  Clos-de- 
Vougeot,  Romanee-Conti  vintage  1869,  Richebourg  and 
Chambertin  1874  and  1875 — the  latter  the  favourite  wine 
of  Napoleon;  and  a  saying  is,  "a  bottle  of  Chambertin,  a 
ragout  k  la  Sardanapalus  and  a  lady  catiseur  "  are  the  three 
best  companions  at  a  table  in  France. 

In  Paris  I  experimented  with  the  Peugeot  car, 
which  had  its  engine  at  the  back,  and  visited  the 
Exposition  d' Automobiles  voitures  a  moteurs  et 
Motocycles  organized  by  the  Automobile  Club  of 
France  at  the  Palais  de  1' Industrie.  The  English 
representatives  at  the  exhibition  were  the  Hon. 
Evelyn  Ellis,  Sir  David  Salomons,  and  Mr.  Paris 
Singer,  and  the  principal  exhibitors  were  Panhard 
and  Levassor,  Peugeot,  De  Dion  et  Bouton, 
Bollee,  Delahaye,  and  Mors.  Many  of  the  French 
cars  were  fitted  with  Benz  motors  and  had 
phaeton  and  victoria  bodies.  No  English  cars 
were  shown,  as  the  Act  in  England  had  not  then 
been  passed  to  allow  horseless  carriages  on  the 
road  without  a  man  walking  in  front  carrying  a 
red  flag.  Our  dilatory  legislators  allowed  France 
to  make  substantial  headway  before  English  manu- 
facturers could  enter  the  field. 

Sir  David  Salomons,  however,  in  October  1895, 
had  organized  a  show  at  Tunbridge  Wells,  and  this 
had  awakened  interest  to  the  possibilities  of  a 
great  industry,   and  on  November  24,   1896,  the 


94  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

British  Parliament  sanctioned  mechanical  traction 
at  a  speed  not  exceeding  fourteen  miles  an  hour 
on  the  common  highways.  This  was  celebrated 
by  the  historic  run  to  Brighton. 

The  author  was  a  member  of  the  Automobile 
Club  of  France,  and  on  December  15,  1897,  the 
Automobile  Club  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  was 
founded  by  Mr.  F.  R.  Simms.  About  this  time  I 
was  travelling  in  Russia  and  Finland,  passing  the 
winter  season  in  Moscow  and  St.  Petersburg.  When 
I  returned  Mr.  F.  R.  Simms  kindly  invited  me  to 
be  the  first  Honorary  Treasurer  of  the  new  Club, 
and  I  think  the  year  1898  was  one  of  the  most 
historical  and  interesting  in  my  life.  To  be  Honor- 
ary Treasurer  of  an  institution  which  had  very 
small  funds  was  not  a  coveted  post,  but  thanks 
to  a  few  members  and  the  wonderful  organization 
of  Mr.  Claude  Johnson  (the  Secretary),  the  Auto- 
mobile Club  soon  grew  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
institutions  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

The  first  headquarters  were  at  Whitehall  Court, 
where  we  paid  a  rent  of  £400  per  annum.  When 
comparison  is  made  with  the  present  palatial 
building  (1920)  and  rent  in  Pall  Mall,  it  shows 
what  can  be  achieved  from  small  beginnings. 

The  different  chairmen  who  have  held  office 
during  the  short  history  of  the  Club  are  Mr.  Roger 
Wallace,  Q.C.,  Sk  Charles  Rose,  M.P.,  H.S.H. 
Prince  Francis  of  Teck  and  the  Hon.  Arthur 
Stanley,  M.P.  The  present  Secretary  (1920)  is 
Sir  Julian  Orde. 

In  the  first  year  of  the  Club's  existence  finance 
was  a  matter  of  considerable  anxiety ;  £540  had 


THE  AUTOMOBILE  CLUB 


95 


been  spent  in  the  establishment  of  the  Club  before 
any  members'  subscriptions  were  received.  At 
the  end  of  1898  the  total  income  from  these 
amounted  to  £800,  while  during  the  first  year 
£150  was  spent  in  connection  with  the  dispute  as  to 
whether  Sir  David  Salomons  or  the  Automobile  Club 
had  a  right  to  the  title.  The  situation,  however, 
was  saved  by  the  following  gentlemen  becoming 
life  members,  at  a  subscription  of  £25  each  : 


Mr.  Roger  W.  Wallace,  Q.C. 
The  Hon.  Evelyn  Ellis. 
Mr.  Frederick  R.  Simms. 
Mr.  Hedges  Butler. 
Mr.  Alfred  F.  Bird,  M.P. 
Mr.  Andrew  W.  Barr. 
Hon.  Cecil  Duncombe. 
Mr.  J.  M.  Gorham. 
Mr.  W.  J.  Leonard. 


Mr.  James  Peacock. 
Professor  Boverton  Redwood. 
Mr.  S.  R.  Roget. 
Sir  David  Salomons,  Bart. 
Mr.  E.  Shrapnell  Smith. 
Mr.  (now  Sir)  John  I.  Thorny- 
croft,  and 
Baron  de  Zuylen. 


The  value  of  life-membership  at  that  time  was 
one  of  great  uncertainty,  as  it  looked  as  if  the 
Club  doors  might  be  closed  at  any  moment  owing 
to  lack  of  enthusiasm  on  the  part  of  a  number  of 
its  members.  Considerable  confidence  in  the  future 
of  the  Club  was  aroused,  therefore,  by  a  movement 
of  this  kind,  with  the  result  that,  by  the  end  of 
the  year  1898,  a  guarantee  fund  had  been  formed, 
amounting  to  £1,521,  the  largest  subscribers  being  : 


Mr.  Roger  W.  Wallace  . . 

..  £200 

Hon.  Evelyn  Ellis 

..     200 

Mr.  Frederick  R.  Simms 

..     200 

Sij  David  Salomons 

..     200 

Mr.  H.  E.  Sherwin  Holt 

..     100 

Mr.  Hedges  Butler 

5 

..     100 

96  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

My  own  first  car,  which  came  into  my  possession 
in  1897,  was  a  Benz  from  Mamiheim,  described 
on  the  invoice  as  a  motor  velocipede,  price  £120. 
I  bought  it  from  Mr.  Harry  Hewetson.  The  early 
days  of  this  extraordinary  horseless  vehicle  puzzled 
me  and  everyone  else.  To  get  it  started  was 
a  work  of  art.  A  wheel  at  the  back  of  the  car 
had  to  be  turned  ;  sometimes  one  forgot  to  turn 
on  the  petrol  or  the  electricity,  or  the  carburettor 
became  flooded.  When  the  car  did  start,  one  felt 
quite  astonished,  and  half  expected  the  engine  or 
something  to  explode.  Engineers  with  many  letters 
after  their  names  looked  upon  motor-cars  as  im- 
possible and  a  sort  of  toy,  although  the  gas-engine 
was  nothing  new,  and  the  whole  idea,  including 
electric  ignition,  was  foreshadowed  in  the  1851 
Exhibition  in  an  invention  shown  by  a  Frenchman, 
M.  Lenoir,  whose  patents  could  later  be  bought 
for  threepence  at  the  Patent  Office.  Daimler 
and  Benz  conceived  the  scheme  of  using  the  engine 
for  mechanical  transport,  and  sold  the  rights  to 
Panhard,  Levassor,  and  others.  It  was  most  inter- 
esting to  experiment  with  the  different  cars  in  Paris 
and  in  England.  What  we  most  enjoyed,  perhaps, 
was  pushing  the  cars  up  the  hills,  so  that  when  they 
did  go  down  the  other  side  we  had  the  satisfaction 
of  pleasure  well  earned.  There  were  very  few  hills 
that  the  cars  could  negotiate  without  shedding  the 
passengers,  and  often  the  driver  himself  had  to 
dismount  and  steer  the  car  up  the  road  empty. 
When  we  passed  down  lanes  and  roads  the  natives 
rushed  to  get  behind  the  hedges  and  ditches, 
frightened    at    a    wonderful    and   noisy    machine. 


97 


EARLY  MOTORING  DAYS  99 

and  expecting  to  be  run  over.  At  Brighton,  the 
coachmen  on  the  parade,  when  a  car  passed,  ran 
to  their  horses'  heads  to  hold  the  animals  lest 
they  should  run  away. 

For  quite  a  considerable  period  we  were  only 
allowed  by  law  to  drive  at  a  speed  of  fourteen 
miles  an  hour  without  incurring  the  risk  of  a 
heavy  fine  or  imprisonment.  We  never  started 
without  taking  provisions  in  the  car  to  the  extent 
at  least  of  a  box  of  Bath  Oliver  biscuits  and  one 
or  two  bottles  of  dry  sherry.  It  was  also  necessary 
to  have  a  bag  for  a  night's  lodging,  as  one  never 
knew  at  what  time  one  would  arrive  at  the  des- 
tination. Breakdowns  were  frequent,  and  were 
caused  among  other  things  by  a  want  of  water  to 
keep  the  engine  cool,  a  leaking  pump,  nuts  and 
bolts  working  loose,  chains  breaking,  belts  stretch- 
ing, the  electric  spark  and  trembler  requiring 
adjustment,  tyres  coming  off,  platinum  tube 
burners  blowing  out,  and  electric  shocks  from  bad 
circuit.  A  tramp  on  the  high-road  was  a  useful 
individual,  and  many  times  he  earned  sixpence  or 
more  by  fetching  water  from  a  mile  away  to  put 
into  the  car ;  in  those  times  there  were  no  radia- 
tors, only  water-jackets.  Brakes  were  made  of 
camel-hair,  which  burned  through,  and  the  cars 
would  then  run  away  down  the  hills. 

Motorists'  clothes  were  usually  covered  with  oil, 
and  often  we  had  to  lie  on  our  backs  under  the 
car  in  the  middle  of  the  road  to  effect  repairs. 
Chauffeurs  were  not  born,  and  owners  had  to  do 
the  work  themselves  and  drive.  When  things  went 
seriously   wrong    a    village   blacksmith   was   their 


100  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

best  friend,  A  sort  of  steward's  yachting-cap, 
with  a  black  mask  to  keep  the  dust  out  of  the 
eyes,  was  the  usual  head-dress,  and  at  dinner 
after  a  run  we  looked  like  "  white-eyed  Kaffirs  " 
as  a  result  of  white  marks  round  our  eyes  caused 
bj^  the  goggles.  There  were  no  glass  screens, 
and  ladies  wore  veils  over  their  heads  to  protect 
themselves  from  dust  and  wind.  We  had  one 
advantage  over  the  present  car-owner  :'  the  price 
of  petrol  was  only  sevenpence  a  gallon  from 
Messrs.  Carless,  Capel  and  Leonard. 

Iron  sprags  were  fitted  under  cars  to  prevent  run- 
ning backwards  if  the  motor  stopped  when  going 
up  a  hill.  Sometimes  the  weight  of  the  cars  would 
cause  them  to  run  over  the  sprag,  and  backwards 
down  the  hill  would  go  the  whole  concern.  There 
were  occasions,  too,  when  we  had  to  go  up  the  hills 
backwards  to  get  the  petrol  into  the  carburettor 
and  engine.  It  was  quite  a  common  experience 
to  be  compelled  to  leave  the  cars  out  in  the  open 
roads,  as  the  proprietors  of  stables  and  ostlers 
would  not  let  them  be  put  into  the  coach-houses. 
This  arose  entirely  through  prejudice  and  a  belief 
that  the  new  form  of  locomotion  would  take  away 
their  livelihood  by  doing  away  with  horses,  coaches, 
and  chars-a-bancs.  We  took  police  constables  for 
a  ride  to  inaugurate  them  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  car.  At  Ranelagh,  when  first  I  took  a  car 
there,  I  had  to  leave  it  in  the  open,  and  I  was 
told  the  Club  was  for  polo,  and  horseless  vehicles 
were  not  appreciated.  Motor-cars,  by  the  way, 
were  not  then  numbered,  and  it  was  customary 
to  give  them  a  name.     I  called  my  own  car  "  Eve." 


101 


I 


A  THOUSAND  MILE  TOUR  103 

If  nomenclature  had  persisted,  the  dictionary  would 
be  exhausted  to-day  to  find  a  name  which  had  not 
been  seized  upon.  Numbering,  of  course,  soon 
became  the  only  practical  system  of  identification. 
In  the  year  1900  the  Royal  Automobile  Club 
one  thousand  miles  motor  tour  through  England 
and  Scotland  started  from  Hyde  Park  Corner 
on  April  23rd,  and  the  route  was  as  follows  : 

First  day  London  to  Bath  and  Bristol. 

Second  day  Bristol,  Gloucester,  Worcester  to  Birmingham. 

Third  day  Birmingham,     Derby,     Matlock,    Buxton     to 

Manchester. 

Fourth  day  Manchester,  Preston  to  Kendal. 

Fifth  day  Kendal,  Keswick  to  Carlisle. 

Sixth  day  Carlisle,  Peebles  to  Edinburgh. 

Seventh  day  Edinburgh,  Berwick  to  Newcastle. 

Eighth  day  Newcastle,  Durham,  York  to  Leeds. 

Ninth  day  Leeds,  Harrogate,  Bradford  to  Sheffield. 

Tenth  day  Sheffield,  Welbeck,  Park,  Lincoln,  Nottingham. 

Eleventh  day  Nottingham,     Leicester,     Northampton,     St. 

Albans,  London  (Marble  Arch). 

The  tour  lasted  from  April  23rd  to  May  12th, 
and  included  hill -climbing  competitions,  races  in 
Welbeck  Park,  and  exhibitions  at  the  different 
iovncis. 

In  the  towns  people  turned  out  in  thousands  to 
see  the  cars  pass,  and  the  police  had  to  keep  the 
streets  clear  for  our  passage.  At  Calcot  Park, 
Reading,  Mr.  Alfred  Harmsworth  (now  Viscount 
Northcliffe)  gave  a  magnificent  champagne  breakfast 
in  a  marquee,  and  invited  all  those  taking  part  in 
the  tour  to  partake  of  his  hospitality.  At  Bir- 
mingham, Mr.  Alfred  Bird,  M.P.,  gave  a  dinner  at 


104  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  Conservative  Club,  and  Mr.  Henry  Edmunds 
entertained  us  at  Manchester  and  Lord  Kingsburgh 
at  Edinburgh.  The  tour  was  most  enjoyable,  but 
involved  hard  work,  as  we  had  to  be  up  in  the  morn- 
ing every  day  at  five  o'clock  to  get  the  cars  ready. 

My  daughter  Vera  travelled  all  the  course  with 
me,  and  mine  was  one  of  the  cars  that  came  in  at 
the  finish.  V^e  had  several  punctures ;  piston 
rings  working  round  lost  a  good  deal  of  compres- 
sion ;  a  lift-pin  of  one  of  the  valves  put  one  cylinder 
out  of  action  part  of  the  time ;  and  burners  blew 
out  up  hill. 

There  were  two  sections  for  cars  in  the  tour, 
one  for  manufacturers  and  agents  and  the  other 
for  amateurs.  The  list  of  the  amateurs  com- 
peting is  given  on  p.  107. 

The  legal  speed  was  only  fourteen  miles  an  hour, 
so  that  we  had  often  to  wait  at  the  controls  before 
entering  the  towns.  Prizes  and  medals  were  pre- 
sented by  the  Automobile  Club  for  this  historic 
event. 

In  the  year  1901  the  car  I  had  ordered  in  the 
previous  year  for  my  daughter  was  ready  at 
Renault's  works,  Billancourt,  Paris.  It  was  of 
4J  horse-power,  with  a  De  Dion  engine,  as  the 
Renault  Compan}^  had  not  then  their  own  engines. 
The  mechanism  was  just  like  the  inside  of  a  watch, 
and  by  a  clever  arrangement  it  was  possible  to 
change  speeds  with  the  left  hand.  We  knew  the 
Renault  brothers  almost  before  they  began  the 
erection  of  their  factory.  They  lived  in  a  pretty 
house  with  a  charming  garden  in  the  suburbs  of 
Paris,  and  they  made  their  first  experiments  with 


105 


A  THOUSAND  MILE  TOUR 


107 


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108  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

a  gas-engine  in  a  boat  on  the   River   Seine.     We 
were  eager  to  make  a  trial  with  our  car,  and  planned 
a  return  journey  to  Nice  via  the  Basses- Alpes,  a 
fair  test  for  so  small  a  car  with  two  persons  and 
luggage.     On  April  10th  we  left  the  Ely  sees  Palace 
Hotel  at  8  a.m.  in  April  showers,  which  produced 
a   fine  rainbow,   and    a    head    wind.      We   drove 
through  the  beautiful  forest  of  Fontainebleau  along 
a  good  road  lined  with  trees  on  either  side,  and  made 
our  first  halt  at  the  Hotel  d'Ecru,  Gien,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  142  kilometres  from  Paris.     The  next  day 
we   continued   our   journey   by   the   River   Loire. 
There  were  steep  hills  between  St.  Pierre  and  La 
Charite,  but  the  little  car  climbed  splendidly,  and 
by   nightfall   we   had   reached   the   pretty   village 
of  La  Palisse.     On  the  road  we  passed  a  number 
of  gipsy  vans,  whose  dogs  would  bark  in  front  of 
the  cars.     These  animals  would  have  made  splendid 
policemen  for  preventing  cars  going  too  fast  through 
the  towns — they  seemed  always  in  the  way.     The 
drivers  of  the  carts  we  passed  were  very  polite, 
and  when  they  heard  our  horn  they  were  quick 
to  move  out  of  the  way  to  let  us  pass.     Our  third 
night  we  spent  at  St.  Etienne,  a  University  city 
with    steam   tramways    and    small-arms   factories 
like  those  of  Birmingham. 

We  began  the  fourth  day  with  a  steep  ascent 
in  a  heavy  snowstorm.  The  car  had  to  travel  on 
its  first  speed,  but  it  pulled  well.  Within  the  hood 
we  were  warm  and  comfortable.  There  was  a 
zigzag  road  down  to  Bourgengental,  where  we 
stopped  at  the  Hotel  de  France  and  enjoyed  the 
fire  in  the  kitchen.     The  following  day  found  us 


109 


TOURING  THROUGH  FRANCE  111 

still  descending  to  Andance.  We  got  our  first 
view  of  the  River  Rhone,  and  among  the  peach, 
pear,  and  cherry-blossom  crossed  the  river  and 
lunched  at  Valence,  Hotel  Croix  d'Or.  Afterwards 
the  road  was  flat  to  Avignon,  where  we  stopped 
at  the  Hotel  de  1' Europe  and  enjoyed  the  salads 
and  asparagus,  which  are  sent  from  these  southern 
parts  to  Paris  markets.  We  got  our  first  view  of 
the  Mediterranean  at  Frejus,  and  arrived  at  Nice 
at  an  evening  hour  fragrant  with  the  scent  of  the 
mimosa.  Stayed  at  the  Hotel  de  France.  Nice 
is  996  kilometres  from  Paris,  and  except  for  having 
to  wipe  off  the  carbon  on  the  trembler  we  had 
accomplished  our  journey  without  trouble  or  diffi- 
culty. While  at  Nice  we  had  the  motor  thoroughly 
cleaned,  the  front  wheels  greased,  and  oil  emptied 
out  of  the  engine  and  gear-case.  We  drove  every 
day  to  Monte  Carlo,  and  enjoyed  beautiful  drives 
round  the  luxuriant  bays.  Sometimes  we  returned 
by  Cap  Martin  and  up  the  Cote  to  La  Turbie. 
Coming  down  hills  we  burned  our  side  brakes. 

On  our  return  journey  we  stayed  the  first  night 
at  the  Grand  Hotel,  Cannes,  with  its  beautiful 
gardens  of  palm-trees,  and  then  drove  by  the 
sea,  with  a  view  of  the  Island  of  Marguerite,  to 
Digne.  Our  route  took  us  through  the  picturesque 
village  of  Entrevaux,  with  its  fortress  and  old 
drawbridge,  and  we  ascended  the  Col  de  Veyons 
(1,100  metres)  by  a  zigzag  mountain  road  with  many 
tunnels  cut  in  the  rocks.  After  a  night  at  the 
Hotel  Bouir  and  a  visit  to  the  thermal  establish- 
ment of  Digne,  which  has  a  hot-water  spring,  we 
continued  our  tour  by  way  of  picturesquely  situated 


112  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Sisteren,  and  then  lost  our  way  through  a  bad 
sign-post.  By  a  steep  cote  we  reached  Veynes  too 
late  to  go  on  to  Grenoble,  so  slept  at  this  village, 
and  the  following  day  mounted  the  Col  de  Haute 
Croix  (1,300  metres).  We  had  to  negotiate  many 
cannivaux  (ditches)  in  the  middle  of  the  road. 
Then  came  a  splendid  descent  to  Grenoble,  with 
the  air  growing  warmer  again.  Chestnuts  were 
in  full  leaf,  and  the  roadside  was  carpeted  with 
violets,  cowslips,  and  primroses.  Grenoble  is  always 
a  most  interesting  town  to  stay  in,  and  has  many 
good  shops.  A  trip  we  made  from  Grenoble  to 
La  Grande  Chartreuse  severely  tested  the  car.  The 
road  wound  steeply  among  the  sapins,  and  at 
the  higher  altitude  snow  was  piled  in  drifts  6  feet 
deep.  Steering  was  difficult,  and  the  back  wheels 
went  round  without  gripping  the  road  until  fir 
branches  were  strewn  underneath  them.  The 
engine  got  very  hot,  and  we  had  to  change  oil 
four  times  in  14  kilometres.  Bej^ond  Sappey, 
where  we  stopped  for  lunch,  the  car  got  into  the 
ruts,  slipped  and  tobogganed  into  drifts  of  snow, 
and  had  to  be  dug  out  and  pushed  backwards  and 
forwards.  We  reached  our  destination,  however, 
and  visited  the  Grand  Chartreuse  monastery,  where 
the  famous  liqueur  was  then  made.  The  secret 
of  manufacture  used  to  be  handed  down  by  a  few 
of  the  old  monks,  and  the  liqueur  was  distilled 
from  the  finest  brandy  and  herbs  gathered  in  the 
district.  As  no  women  were  allowed  in  the  monas- 
tery, my  daughter  went  to  the  neighbouring  depen- 
dance  kept  by  the  nuns.  While  in  the  convent,  she 
was  looking  out  of  the  window  when  she  saw  a 


115 


THE  CHARTREUSE— END  OF  THE  TOUR  117 

man  come  out  of  the  monastery,  look  at  her  car, 
and  suddenly  put  his  hand  mto  a  silk  bag  and 
take  out  her  purse.  She  rushed  out  without 
saying  "good-bye"  to  the  sisters,  and  rang  the 
convent  bell  to  ask  for  me,  telling  the  monk  who 
opened  the  door  that  a  voleur  had  stolen  the  purse. 
We  immediately  started  the  car  and  tried  to  catch 
the  man,  but  he  had  disappeared  in  the  woods. 
La  Grande  Chartreuse  was  one  of  the  last  places 
one  would  expect  to  encounter  a  thief,  as  the  monks 
gave  food  and  drink  to  all  travellers  and  passers-by 
and  were  most  hospitable.  From  Grenoble  we  also 
visited  Uriage,  and  saw  three  thousand  men 
of  the  Chasseurs  Alpines  with  their  sticks  and 
mountain  mule  artillery  returning  from  manoeu- 
vring. We  then  continued  our  journey  through 
Bourg  and  Montserail,  and  got  on  the  main  road 
again.  At  Dijon  we  made  a  halt  to  visit  some  of 
our  friends  in  the  Burgundy  district,  at  Nuits, 
Beaune,  and  Savigny,  where  the  Cote  d'Or  grows 
the  finest  Burgundy  wines.  Losing  our  road  again, 
we  came  to  Salien,  and  stopped  the  night  at 
Avallon,  Hotel  de  la  Poste,  and  had  good  wood- 
fires  in  our  bedrooms. 

Eventually  we  reached  Paris  by  way  of  Auxerre 
and  Fontainebleau  without  mishap,  and  after  spend- 
ing a  day  in  the  French  capital  drove  the  car  to 
Havre,  where  we  put  it  on  board  the  steamer 
Qolumhia  for  Southampton.  Our  tour  created  a 
record  at  the  time  for  a  journey  with  a  lady  driving 
and  so  small  and  low-powered  a  car. 


CHAPTER  VI 

MOROCCO— A  JOURNEY  TO  TETUAN 

If  one  can  do  so,  it  is  pleasant  to  escape  from  the 
damp  and  foggy  weather  of  our  EngUsh  winter 
and  go  in  search  of  sunshine  and  warmth.  In 
1902  I  spent  my  Christmas  Day  in  Gibraltar, 
where  we  had  called  in  the  early  stages  of  an 
enjoyable  cruise  in  the  s.s.  Zweena,  of  the  Forward 
Line,  a  new  ship  with  much  of  the  comfort  and 
elegance  of  a  fine  yacht.  On  Boxing  Day  we 
arrived  at  Tangiers,  where  we  were  to  stay  some 
days.  I  visited  the  prison,  a  forbidding  place  of 
internment,  but  which  had  a  gruesome  sort  of  in- 
terest for  tourists.  One  prisoner  had  been  there 
thirty-five  years,  his  crime  being  that  of  murder. 
The  prison  had  no  drainage,  and  the  prisoners 
depended  for  most  of  their  food  on  outside  charity. 
On  Sundaj^  December  27th,  I  set  out  with  my 
daughter  Vera  on  an  expedition  to  Tetuan.  The 
following  is  an  account  of  the  excursion  written 
by  my  daughter  on  our  return  to  Tangiers : 

A  Visit  to  Tetuan 

In  these  days  of  far-spreading  modern  civilization  it  seems 
almost  incredible  that,  only  a  four  days'  journey  from 
England,  there  should  still  exist  a  country  remaining  to-day 

118 


VERA   BUTLER   ON    HER   ARAB   STEED.      MOROCCO,    I902. 


PASSING  THROUGH  THE   GATES  OF  TETUAN.      MOROCCO,   1902. 
119 


JOURNEY  TO  TETUAN  121 

just  as  it  was  four  thousand  years  ago  !  Yet  Morocco,  or 
the  "  Land  of  the  Setting  Sun,"  which  has  been  brought  of 
late  so  much  before  public  notice,  is  a  curious  example  of 
all  that  is  most  primitive ;  a  land  in  which  every  new 
improvement  is  regarded  as  the  work  of  the  Evil  One  ! 

The  best  known  port  in  Morocco  is  Tangiers,  and  with  this, 
as  with  every  other  Moorish  town,  distance  lends  enchantment 
to  the  view.  From  the  ship  it  is  an  imposing  sight,  with  its 
flat  white  roofs  glistening  in  the  sun,  and  standing  out  in 
bold  relief  against  a  vivid  blue  sky,  such  as  we  never  see  in 
England.  The  traveller,  on  landing,  receives  a  rude  shock, 
however,  and  is  disposed  hastily  to  mount  a  donkey,  and  so 
wade  through  the  slushy  mud,  often  a  foot  deep,  of  evil-smelling 
and  narrow  streets.  His  luggage  is  carried  on  the  backs  of 
those  Moors  who  have  proved  themselves  the  victors  in  a 
stand-up  fight  with  each  other  to  get  it  first  oflf  the  small 
boats,  in  which  it  is  put  ashore  from  the  large  steamer. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  strike  a  stranger  on  arrival  is  the 
entire  absence  of  any  vehicle,  there  being  no  roads  of  any 
sort  in  any  part  of  an  extensive  country,  except  at  Fez,  where 
the  unfortunate  Sultan  so  far  forgot  the  teachings  of  his 
forefathers  as  to  build  himself  one  seven  miles  long  for  the 
use  of  his  automobile,  and  against  which  the  whole  Moorish 
nation  arose  in  arms. 

A  visit  to  the  interior  is  of  great  interest,  however,  and 
for  this  purpose  guide,  soldiers,  and  horses  are  needed, 
together  with  a  passport  from  the  Consul.  Equipped  with 
these  essentials,  we  set  out  one  morning  at  daybreak  to 
explore  the  Great  Unknown. 

Rumours  of  disturbances  had  reached  Tangiers,  but  were 
not  credited  by  the  authorities  there,  so  we  left  full  of  confi- 
dence. The  morning  was  bright  and  sunny,  just  the  kind 
for  a  good  gallop  on  the  lovely  little  Arab  horses  prepared 
for  us.  Our  guide  and  the  soldiers  were  obviously  feeling  as 
pleased  as  ourselves  with  the  day,  and  expressed  their  good 
humour  by  singing  weird  songs.  The  first  part  of  the 
journey  lay  over  a  sandy  desert,  running  into  a  low-lyi  g 
country,  much  resembling  a  great  stretch  of  water-meadcw. 


122  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

We  were  told  that  it  was  a  steady  twelve  hours'  ride  to 
Tetuan,  but  "  if  the  lady  felt  tired  there  was  a  nice  inn  half-way 
there,"  and  that  the  roughest  part  of  the  journey  was  the 
other  side  of  it.  We  rode  steadily  on  for  five  hours,  which 
brought  us  to  lunch -time.  We  then  sat  down  by  a  stream 
and  partook  of  a  sandwich  lunch  ;  our  unfortunate  Moorish 
companions  were  unable  to  touch  any  food,  as  it  was  the 
great  Feast  of  Ramadan,  during  which  every  Moor  fasts 
from  5  a.m.  to  6  p.m.,  when  a  gun  is  fired  and  food  may  be 
eaten.  After  twenty  minutes'  halt,  rather  stiff,  but  more 
or  less  refreshed,  we  remounted  our  horses  and  rode  on  ; 
and  now  our  trouble  began.  One  more  hour's  ride  brought 
us  to  the  much-talked-of  inn,  which,  we  were  told,  would  be 
a  good  place  at  which  to  put  up  for  the  night,  but  alas  !  what 
did  we  find  ?  Just  four  ruined  walls,  with  no  roof  of  any 
sort,  and  on  the  grass  in  the  middle  lived  two  Moors  with 
their  donkeys  and  chickens  !  It  was  on  the  cold  ground, 
with  the  sky  for  a  ceiling,  that  we  were  expected  to  sleep  ! 

It  being  then  only  2  p.m.,  we  decided  to  continue  our 
journey,  and  many  were  the  adventures  that  befell  us  between 
that  disappointing  spot  and  Tetuan.  The  surface  of  the 
country  changed,  and  became  so  steep  in  parts  that  the  saddles 
all  but  slipped  over  the  horses'  tails,  and  it  was  only  by 
putting  both  arms  round  the  poor  old  animals'  necks  that 
we  were  able  to  save  ourselves  from  slipping  off  backwards. 
Having  attained  the  crest  of  a  hill,  there  came  the  difficulty 
of  getting  down  the  other  side,  equally  steep.  The  ground 
bore  a  painful  resemblance  to  the  rocks  on  the  seashore,  only 
half  of  them  were  loose  ;  my  horse  rather  enjoyed  toboggan- 
ing down,  sitting  on  his  hindquarters,  while  I  clung  desperately 
to  his  neck.  We  noticed  as  the  day  wore  on  that  the  guide 
began  to  get  fidgety,  and  told  us  to  whip  up  our  horses,  or 
night  would  fall.  We  did  our  best,  but  the  night  overtook 
us,  and  with  the  darkness  came  the  rain,  which  came  down 
as  only  tropical  rain  can.  Having  gone  a  short  distance 
-j^ther,  our  horses  did  not  seem  to  be  able  to  keep  their  feet, 
a,  d  kept  falling  down  pits,  so  we  thought  it  best  to  dismount : 
a   proceeding   against   which   the   guide   strongly   protested, 


TETUAN  128 

though  we  could  not  quite  understand  why.  We  soon  dis- 
covered the  reason,  for  we  met  with  no  better  fate  than  the 
horses,  as  the  ground,  which  consisted  of  many  rocks,  was 
covered  thickly  with  slimy  weeds,  and  it  was  on  all  fours 
and  with  much  difficulty  that  we  were  able  to  proceed  at 
all.  This  curious  procession  would  have  made  a  funny 
snapshot. 

Very  thankful  indeed  we  were  to  find  that  another  mile 
brought  us  to  our  destination,  and  we  hailed  with  joy  the 
gate  of  the  city  ;  but,  alas  !  our  troubles  were  not  to  end 
so  soon,  for,  to  the  surprise  of  the  soldier,  on  knocking  and 
giving  the  required  password,  the  gatekeeper  refused  to  open 
it.  The  soldier  said  that  he  had  never  known  such  a  thing 
to  occur  before.  Here  was  a  pretty  state  of  affairs,  for  the 
choice  of  sleeping-places  was  not  too  enticing.  One  possibility 
was  to  remain  by  the  wall,  which  gave  a  certain  amount  of 
shelter  from  the  rain,  but  was  the  place  where,  in  the  daytime, 
all  the  lepers  and  other  poor  creatures  with  loathsome  diseases 
were  made  to  sit ;   the  alternative  was  to  live  in  a  bog  ! 

The  guide  was  in  a  great  state  of  mind,  and  by  way  of 
venting  his  feelings,  collected  large  stones  and  hurled  them, 
with  many  a  strange  word — which  I  was  glad  was  in  Arabic 
— against  the  sturdy  gate.  This  had  the  effect  of  producing 
more  words  from  the  other  side,  and  eventually  we  saw 
appearing  over  the  wall  many  heads  and  many  candles.  After 
a  great  deal  more  discussion,  and  when  the  guardians  of  the 
gate  had  been  convinced  that  we  were  harmless  Europeans, 
and  not  a  rebel  tribe,  as  they  had  first  imagined,  they  sent  to 
the  Governor  for  the  one  and  only  key  to  let  us  in. 

Having  inquired  for  an  inn,  we  were  led  by  the  light  of  a 
torch  through  the  gloomy  streets  to  a  place  which  any  self- 
respecting  cow  would  have  been  ashamed  to  call  her  shed. 
We  hastily  asked  if  that  was  the  only  accommodation  in 
Tetuan,  and  eventually  found  shelter  in  a  funny  little  house 
kept  by  a  Spaniard.  This  was  a  palace  compared  with 
everything  we  had  seen.  We  managed  to  get  food  of  sorts, 
and  then  were  soon  in  the  Land  of  Dreams. 

On   awakening   the   following   morning   our   first   thought 


124  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

was  of  returning  to  Tangiers,  so  the  guide  and  the  soldiers 
were  summoned,  but,  to  our  dismay,  they  said  that  the  horses 
were  dead  beat,  and  that  for  "  love  or  money  "  no  more  could 
be  procured,  and  that  we  must  remain  another  night.  This 
we  were  obliged  to  do,  and  make  the  best  of  it. 

The  rain  came  down  in  torrents  all  that  day,  and  as  it  was 
so  unpleasant  wandering  round  the  muddy  streets,  I  visited 
several  harems.  Two  particularly  struck  me,  one  being 
that  of  a  very  poor  man,  and  the  other  of  one  of  the  rich 
merchants  of  the  city.  The  poor  man  had  two  wives,  one 
a  very  beautiful  girl,  fifteen  years  of  age,  who  had  a  baby 
boy  of  one  year  old,  and  the  other  wife  an  older  woman,  very 
far  from  being  beautiful  according  to  our  ideas.  The  other 
occupants  of  the  women's  quarters  were  the  husband's  mother 
and  an  unmarried  sister.  It  appeared  that  I  was  the  first 
European  woman  they  had  seen  at  close  quarters,  and  the 
excitement  of  such  an  event  I  think  they  will  long  remember. 

Having  been  led  into  a  sort  of  room,  I  was  invited,  by  means 
of  signs  and  gestures,  to  sit  on  a  low  divan,  and  there  they 
all  came  round  me,  inspecting  my  clothes  and  jewellery  with 
keen  curiosity  ;  the  thing  above  all  others  which  interested 
them  was  my  hair-net,  and  this  I  gave  them  as  a  souvenir 
of  my  visit.  Having  partaken  of  honey  cake  and  green  tea, 
I  was  conducted  by  the  husband  into  the  men's  quarters 
as  a  great  honour,  being  the  first  English  woman  to  visit  him. 
In  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  his  young  wife  followed 
me,  but,  poor  little  girl,  she  was  roughly  pushed  back  to  join 
her  mother-in-law,  and  probably  made  to  do  penance  for 
80  terrible  a  breach  of  etiquette,  amounting  to  a  sin. 

On  leaving,  I  went  to  see  the  rich  man's  house.  We 
knocked  at  the  door,  which  was  opened  by  a  young  black 
slave  girl,  who  led  me  into  the  inner  court,  and  there  I  was 
greeted  by  the  four  wives  of  the  Moor.  They  bade  me  sit 
down  on  a  divan,  as  in  the  other  house,  but  it  was  much  more 
luxurious,  and  then  they  vainly  tried  to  talk  to  me.  Finding 
that  quite  hopeless,  they  summoned  another  slave,  who 
showed  me  all  round,  and  finally  I  took  my  departure  and 
returned  to  my  little  inn. 


,~i. 


125 


REBELS— AND  A  RIVER  127 

The  next  morning  we  once  more  summoned  the  guide  and 
soldiers,  and  this  time  they  said  it  was  equally  impossible 
to  go.  The  rivers,  it  seemed,  had  flooded  with  the  rains, 
and  two  hours'  ride  distant  there  was  a  river  in  which  six  men 
had  lately  lost  their  lives  while  attempting  to  cross  it.  In 
rainy  weather  the  stream  turned  into  a  whirlpool,  rushing 
down  with  terrific  force  and  carrying  all  before  it,  so  that 
no  animal  could  breast  the  current. 

Here  was  yet  another  complication.  Should  we  remain 
in  Tetuan,  in  its  disturbed  state,  when  the  rebels  were 
expected  every  moment,  and  when,  to  fill  up  time,  the 
inhabitants  were  fighting  each  other,  and  had  succeeded  in 
murdering  the  second  Moorish  chief  of  the  city  on  the  night 
of  our  arrival,  or  should  we  risk  the  river  ? 

We  thought  it  well  out,  and  then  decided,  at  all  costs,  to 
get  out  of  Tetuan ;  but,  to  our  astonishment,  the  guide 
absolutely  refused  to  go,  saying,  in  his  funny  English  :  "  My 
God  !  You  are  mad ;  the  rebels  are  nothing,  everything 
else  is  nothing,  but  the  river  I  fear  !  "  In  spite  of  their 
protestations,  we  fetched  the  horses  ourselves  and  set  forth 
alone.  We  had  not  gone  far,  however,  when  we  heard  them 
galloping  after  us,  so  we  proceeded  in  the  pouring  tropical 
rain,  wondering  what  this  terrible  river,  from  which  the  guide, 
for  two  solid  hours,  prayed  to  his  God  without  ceasing  to 
deliver  us,  would  be  like.  At  last  it  loomed  in  sight,  and 
perhaps  one  may  admit  that  it  was  rather  terrifying  to  see 
a  huge  mass  of  water  dashing  down  ;  but  luck  favoured  us, 
and  by  means  of  rather  unmercifully  beating  the  horses  to 
stimulate  them  to  rather  unusual  effort,  we  all  got  through 
safely,  one  only  very  nearly  losing  its  feet. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  other  side  the  guide,  with  many  songs, 
proceeded  to  thank  his  God  for  our  safe  deliverance,  and  said 
that  we  might  now  take  it  easily — but  apparently  we  must 
have  taken  it  rather  too  easily,  for  twilight  came  on  while 
we  were  still  in  the  plains,  some  fifteen  miles  from  Tangiers, 
and  once  more  our  guide  began  to  grow  agitated,  getting 
behind  us  and  whipping  our  little  Arab  steeds,  which  were 
very   tired,    and    consequently   stumbled   every   few   yards. 

6 


128  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

We  wondered  why  we  were  made  to  go  thus  at  "  top  speed," 
but  found  that  further  on  there  were  many  paths,  and  in  the 
dark  the  most  skilled  guide  was  unable  to  distinguish  one 
from  the  other,  and  so  we  should  have  been  obliged  to  have 
spent  another  night  in  a  friendly  "  swamp  "  !  Still,  "  All's 
well  that  ends  well,"  and  the  lights  of  Tangiers  were  soon 
seen  shining  in  the  distance.  Very  thankful  we  were  to 
reach  our  nice  comfortable  hotel  once  more,  and  we  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  some  time  before  we  set 
forth  again  to  explore  the  interior  of  Morocco  in  troublous  times. 

From  Tangiers  we  went  to  Casa  Blanca,  a  dirty 
town  which  is  a  starting -place  for  Fez  and  has  a 
large  trade  in  corn,  and  also  visited  Mazagan  and 
Mogador.  While  at  Mazagan  we  experimented  with 
a  camel  ride,  but  found  this  an  uncomfortable  form 
of  locomotion,  and  we  were  soon  anxious  to  dis- 
mount. Before  returning  to  England  we  passed 
delightful  weeks  in  Teneriffe  and  Madeira. 

We  visited  the  large  stores  of  Madeira  wines  and 
tasted  some  of  the  old  East  India,  shipped  in 
sailing  vessels  and  steamers  to  ripen  and  mellow 
during  the  voyage. 


CHAPTER  VII 

LAPLAND  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 

Among  the  most  interesting  and  enjoyable  holi- 
days of  my  life  are  those  I  have  spent  in  Scandi- 
navia and  Lapland.  The  immediate  neighbourhood 
of  either  Stockholm  or  Christiania  HolmenkuUen 
provides  unrivalled  opportunities  for  winter  sports, 
but  it  is  in  expeditions  up-country  that  the  ski-runner 
will  find  the  fascination  of  the  snowfields  most 
invigorating  and  inspiriting.  In  1909,  after  the 
winter  sports  in  Stockholm,  I  made  a  trip  to  Ratt- 
vik,  in  the  province  of  Dalekarlia,  one  of  the  most 
interesting  districts  in  Sweden.  Its  inhabitants  in 
some  ways  correspond  to  the  Highlanders  of 
Scotland,  for  they  hold  to  their  old  traditions, 
even  in  the  matter  of  their  national  costume,  and 
are  still  immensely  proud  of  the  part  they  played 
when  Gustav  Vasa  raised  the  country  in  the  fif- 
teenth century  against  the  Danes.  On  Sundays 
they  assemble  at  the  Church  of  St.  Olaf,  which 
is  still  surrounded  by  the  queer  little  sheds  called 
kyrksdallar,  where  the  worshippers  used  to  put  up 
their  horses  during  the  service,  and  boat  sheds, 
known  as  kyrkbata,  for  the  long  rowing  boats 
reserved  for  the  purposes  of  church -going,  and  in 


130  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  winter  they  skim  to  church  over  the  frozen 
surface  on  skis. 

It  was  here  I  was  first  initiated  into  the 
joys  of  being  towed  along  on  skis,  often  with  a 
pleasant  companion,  behind  a  fast-trotting  pony, 
to  visit  Mora  and  other  picturesque  little  towns  on 
the  shores  of  the  lake. 

Another  centre  I  can  recommend  is  Storlien, 
not  far  from  the  Norwegian  frontier,  in  the  heart 
of  Jamtland,  the  Switzerland  of  Sw^eden,  which, 
especially  about  Easter  time,  is  very  popular  with 
tourist  parties  from  Stockholm,  and  is  in  direct 
railway  communication  with  the  capital.  The 
Snasahogma  and  the  Sylarna  are  among  the  highest 
peaks  in  Sweden,  but  they  are,  comparatively, 
easily  accessible,  and  the  numerous  huts  of  the 
Tourist  Club,  a  club  every  visitor  ought  to  join, 
always  afford  shelter  when  necessary ;  while  on  a 
fine  day  the  view  of  the  wild,  desolate,  snow- 
covered  mountain  ranges  is  wonderfully  impres- 
sive. The  going  in  this  country  is  practically 
always  first-rate.  There  is  one  comfortable  hotel 
at  Storlien,  and  other  convenient  centres  are  Are, 
at  the  foot  of  the  Areskutan,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  accessible  mountains  in  Sweden ; 
and  Dufed,  from  which  the  great  cascade  of  Tann- 
f  or  sen  can  easily  be  reached — and  a  wonderful  sight 
the  great  waterfall,  frozen  solid,  presents. 

In  Norway  one  of  the  centres  I  am  fondest  of 
is  Fefor,  a  few  miles  from  Vinstra,  on  the  Chris- 
tiania-Trondhjem  line,  which  crosses  the  great 
Dovrefjeld.  The  Sanatorium,  as  they  always  call 
the  country  hotels  in  Scandinavia,  is  a  very  com- 


IPhoto  by  Author. 


.RUSSIAN   LAPLAND.      LAPP   ON   SKIS  BRINGING   REINDEER  TO   HARNESS  INTO 

THE   PULKAS. 


fiM^tei;! 


iP/iolu  by  Author. 

MY   LAPLAND   EXPEDITION    COMING    NEAR   THE   COAST,    HAULING   A    DINGHY 

ON    SLEDGE. 


131 


SKI-ING— LAPLAND  138 

fortable,  homely  place,  built  of  pitch-pine  in  the 
Norwegian  style,  and  surrounded  by  quaint  little 
bungalows  which,  in  the  winter,  become  a  regular 
colony  of  keen  tourists  on  skis,  who  enjoy  the 
glorious  views  over  the  Jotunheim  Range  and  the 
mountains  round  Lake  Mjosen  in  an  atmosphere 
as  exhilarating  as  champagne.  While  the  hotel 
itself  is  sheltered  from  the  winds — in  fact,  on  fine 
days  it  is  often  so  warm  as  to  make  even  a  sweater 
feel  superfluous — the  plateau  itself  affords  the 
most  delightful  ski-ing  country,  in  which  even  the 
novice  cannot  come  very  badly  to  grief  ;  while  for 
the  more  expert  it  offers  a  most  convenient  centre 
for  long  expeditions  into  the  mountains.  Another 
place  which  will  probably  have  a  great  future  as 
a  centre  for  winter  sports  is  Finse,  not  far  from 
Bergen,  which  has  a  comfortable  hotel  in  the  heart 
of  beautiful  ski-ing  country. 

February  and  March,  when  the  days  begin  to 
lengthen  a  little,  are  perhaps  the  best  months  in 
which  to  visit  Scandinavia ;  but  winter  sports  are 
always  in  full  swing  about  Easter  time,  when  many 
of  the  most  sporting  meetings  take  place.  In 
fact,  at  inland  centres  such  as  Finse  and  Storlienj 
one  is  pretty  safe  on  counting  on  ski-ing  until  the 
end  of  May,  and  nowhere  is  there  a  nation  of  better 
sportsmen  to  make  the  stranger  welcome. 

There  is  probably  no  part  of  Europe  so  little 
known  and  visited  as  Lapland. 

Their  reindeer  form  their  riches,  these  their  tents, 
Their  robes,  their  beds,  and  all  their  homely  wealth 
Supply  ;  their  wholesome  fare,  and  cheerful  cups. 
Obsequious  to  their  call,  the  docile  tribe 


134  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Yield  to  the  sled  their  necks,  and  whirl  them  swift 
O'er  hill  and  dale,  heap'd  into  one  expanse 
Of  marbled  snow,  as  far  as  eye  can  sweep, 
With  a  blue  crust  of  ice  unbounded  glazed. 

Thomson. 

It  is  a  country  inhabited  by  a  most  interesting 
race  of  people,  whose  manners  and  customs,  occu- 
pations, beliefs,  and  superstitions  are  much  the  same 
as  they  were  in  the  seventeenth  century.  This  is 
one  of  the  many  remarkable  things  about  Lapland. 
Though  in  close  touch  with  modern  civilization, 
its  people  have  retained  all  their  ancient  habits, 
and  to-day  they  migrate  from  the  coast  valleys 
to  the  mountainous  interior  on  the  approach  of 
summer,  returning  to  the  lower  levels  again  in 
winter,  existing  mainly  by  hunting  and  fishing  and 
upon  their  reindeer,  just  as  their  forefathers  did 
when  Europe  was  young. 

Four  previous  expeditions  into  the  country  led 
me,  early  in  1914,  to  undertake  a  more  ambitious 
journey  through  this  wonderful  land  of  tundras, 
forests,  mountains,  rivers,  lakes,  and  marshes, 
with  a  view  to  learning  something  of  the  life  and 
habits  of  these  primitive  nomadic  people.  From 
the  Alten  Fjord  I  struck  inland  to  Karasjok,  hence 
southward  to  Enare,  and  crossed  the  great  lake 
of  that  name  to  Petchenga,  with  its  famous  monas- 
tery, close  to  the  Murman  coast.  From  here  I 
sailed  across  the  Var anger  Fjord  to  Vadso,  and 
thence  journeyed  right  across  the  interior  of  the 
country  to  Karesuando,  in  Swedish  Lapland.  On 
the  map  the  country  looks  as  large  as  France  and 
half  the  size  of  Germany.     The  total  population  is 


{Photo  by  Mesch. 


VIEW  OF  BOSSKOP  ON  FJORD. 


W: 


\ 


.«4 

[/'Atf/o  *y  Author. 


LAPP   ENCAMPMENT. 

135 


WINTER  IN  LAPLAND  187 

not  precisely  known,  but  it  is  very  sparse,  possibly 
not  more  than  thirty  thousand. 

I  entered  Lapland  by  way  of  Bosskop,  a  charm- 
ing little  Lapp  town  at  the  extreme  southern  end 
of  the  Alten  Fjord,  in  the  far  north  of  Norway. 
I  had  beforehand  engaged  the  services  of  Borg 
Mesch,  a  Swede,  and  Johann  Thurri,  a  Laplander, 
to  act  as  interpreters.  Both  of  them  had  been 
with  me  on  previous  expeditions.  We  met  at  the 
Lofoten  Islands,  where  we  were  fortunate  enough 
to  catch  a  steamer  carrying  merchants  to  the 
Lapp  fair  at  Bosskop.  This  is  held  twice  a  year, 
on  the  first  Wednesday  in  March  and  the  first 
Wednesday  in  December.  Arriving  at  the  town, 
we  put  up  at  the  hotel  kept  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wiggs 
and  their  daughter,  which  is  beautifully  situated 
and  very  clean.  There  is  a  splendid  ski-ing  ground 
quite  close  to  the  hotel,  and  interesting  excursions 
can  be  made  into  the  surrounding  country.  The 
sun  was  hot  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  we  wore 
our  ordinary  clothes  for  ski-ing  as  in  Switzerland. 

It  was,  of  course,  still  winter,  being  but  the 
early  days  of  March.  Situated  within  the  Arctic 
Circle  as  it  is,  there  are  only  two  seasons  in  Lap- 
land— summer  and  winter.  Strange  as  it  may 
seem,  the  summer  is  very  hot,  since  the  sun  shines 
unceasingly,  and  there  is  scarcely  any  interval 
between  the  extreme  cold  of  winter  and  the  heat 
of  summer.  Strangers  regard  it  as  a  miracle  to 
see  vegetation  springing  up  fresh  and  green  when 
but  a  week  before  everything  was  locked  fast  in 
the  grip  of  frost  and  snow.  The  whole  country,  at 
the  time  of  my  visit,  was  covered  in  a  deep  mantle 


138  FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 

of  white,  and  the  rivers  and  lakes  were  frozen 
soUd  enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  sledges.  On 
the  higher  mountains  the  snow  remains  all  the  year 
round.  The  winter  is  by  far  the  best  time  in 
which  to  travel  through  Lapland,  provided  one 
is  prepared  to  dress  and  live  like  the  natives. 
In  the  height  of  summer  the  mosquitoes  are  a 
veritable  plague,  and  special  protective  clothing 
is  necessary. 

We  stayed  at  Bosskop  for  several  days,  watching 
the  arrival  of  the  Lapps  who  had  come  to  take  part 
in  the  fair,  a  very  interesting  sight.  They  came 
in  their  pulkas,  drawn  by  fine-looking  reindeer. 
The  pulka  is  a  sledge  which  the  Laplander  uses  for 
passenger  travel.  It  is  shaped  like  a  canoe,  some 
6  feet  8  inches  in  length,  1  foot  7  inches  in  breadth, 
with  a  depth  of  5|  inches,  rising  at  the  back,  or 
stern,  to  a  height  of  1|  feet.  These  boat-like  con- 
veyances were  followed  by  scores  of  larger  sledges, 
each  drawn  by  a  single  reindeer  and  escorted  by 
dogs.  One  Lapp  was  in  chaige  of  ten  sledges. 
They  were  filled  with  reindeer  meat,  ptarmigans, 
reindeer  shoes  and  gloves,  skins  of  elks,  wolves, 
and  foxes,  with  knives  and  belts.  These  goods  the 
Lapps  sold  at  the  fair  to  the  Norwegian  merchants, 
who  came  principally  from  Hammerf est  and  Tromso. 

Everything  was  excellently  arranged — stabling 
for  the  reindeer  and  small  wooden  buildings  where 
merchandise  could  be  stored  until  a  customer  was 
found  for  it.  There  were  also  good  cafes,  and 
many  stores  where  the  visitors  could  buy  goods  in 
exchange  for  their  own  products.  This  fair  is  hun- 
dreds of  years  old,  and  is  eagerly  prepared  for,  as 


BOSSKOP— A  LAPP  FAIR  189 

it  is  a  great  holiday  and  fete  as  well  as  a  business 
fixture.  There  is  singing,  dancing,  and  merry- 
making in  the  evenings,  and  on  our  strolls  round 
the  town  we  frequently  met  Lapps  tumbling  over 
one  another  in  the  snow,  very  happy  with  the 
strong  liquors  they  had  managed  to  obtain  from 
somewhere  and  which  they  were  drinking  direct 
out  of  the  bottle.  As  they  were  all  dressed  in  their 
paesks,  or  winter  clothes,  these  hardy  topers  were 
quite  as  safe  sleeping  in  the  snow  as  in  a  building, 
and  no  doubt  the  exposure  served  to  cool  their 
heated  brains. 

During  our  stay  at  Bosskop  we  took  many 
photographs.  The  women  are  very  picturesque, 
and  some  of  them  have  decidedly  handsome 
features.  The  compounds,  filled  mth  hundreds 
of  reindeer,  made  good  pictures,  as  also  did  the 
numerous  Lapp  dogs  running  about. 

At  Tromso,  on  our  way  up,  we  had  telegraphed 
to  the  Lensman  at  Karasjok  to  obtain  for  us  a 
couple  of  native  drivers  and  twelve  reindeer  to 
carry  us  into  the  interior.  A  Lensman,  I  should 
explain,  corresponds  to  a  district  commissioner  in 
a  British  African  dependency,  and  has  a  great 
deal  of  responsibility.  After  three  days'  journey 
they  turned  up  at  Bosskop,  and  we  at  once  made 
arrangements  for  our  departure.  We  packed  our 
provisions  in  a  couple  of  the  "  chop  boxes  "  I  had 
used  in  Central  Africa  when  big-game  shooting, 
and  I  found  they  were  just  the  right  size  to  fit  on 
the  sledges.  In  addition  to  a  tent,  skis,  valise, 
and  a  regulation  army  kit-bag,  we  also  carried  a 
Primus  stove,  candles,  soap,  electric-light  torches, 


140  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

cigars  and  cigarettes,  to  give  to  the  Lapp  girls  when 
photographing  them — irresistible  baits — and  sweets 
for  the  children. 

The  thing  that  bothered  me  most  was  clothing, 
for  it  is  essential  in  travelling  through  this  in- 
hospitable country  to  dress  like  the  natives  ;  it  is 
the  only  way  to  keep  out  the  cold  and  prevent  frost- 
bites. The  Laplander  wears  two  or  three  of  the 
same  garments,  one  over  the  other,  including  even 
two  pairs  of  shoes,  filled  with  dried  grass,  and 
two  pairs  of  gloves  stuffed  with  hay.  In  addition, 
the  cap  is  filled  with  an  eiderdown  pillow,  and  a 
long  woollen  scarf  is  wound  several  times  round 
the  neck  and  over  the  head.  I  found  it  quite  a 
business  to  remember  in  what  order  this  extra- 
ordinary array  of  garments  was  put  on.  The  Lapp 
who  valeted  me  would  at  times  forget  something, 
and  then  the  operation  of  dressing  would  have  to 
be  started  from  the  stage  where  the  mistake  oc- 
curred. All  told,  I  put  on  no  fewer  than  twenty- 
five  separate  articles  of  clothing  !  The  style  of  the 
costume  is  hundreds  of  years  old,  and  it  is  emi- 
nently practical,  because  one  never  feels  cold  when 
once  this  novel  and  curious  outfit  has  been  adopted. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  one's  toilet  consisted 
in  the  preparation  of  our  gloves  and  shoes,  which 
had  to  be  stuffed  with  dried  sena  grass.  This  is 
first  made  ready  by  warming  it  before  a  fire, 
pulling  it  out,  and  rubbing  it  well  together  in 
order  to  render  it  soft  and  pliable.  A  quantity 
is  then  made  into  a  round  ball  and  placed 
within  the  shoe,  leaving  a  cavity  for  the  foot, 
which  reposes    safely  and  warmly   in  the  middle. 


LAPP  CLOTHING  141 

The  difficulty  of  this  operation,  which  few  but 
the  Laplanders  understand  properly,  consists  in 
arranging  the  sena  so  that  every  part  of  the 
shoe  is  completely  and  uniformly  filled.  If  you 
hurry  the  business,  and  don't  get  the  grass  in 
properly,  you  will  not  only  travel  in  misery 
should  the  cold  penetrate  to  any  part,  but  serious 
consequences,  such  as  frost-bites,  may  result.  The 
Laplanders,  by  the  way,  never  wear  stockings  or 
socks,  but  place  their  naked  feet  inside  the  dried 
grass. 

At  last  we  arranged  our  dress  to  our  satisfaction, 
though  I  fear  we  cut  very  queer  figures.  We 
looked  like  some  new  race  of  hairy  bipeds,  for,  as 
we  were  entirely  clothed  in  the  skins  of  reindeer, 
it  was  not  easy  to  distinguish  us  from  these  animals, 
save  by  the  number  of  our  legs  and  our  figures. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  we  resembled  bears 
standing  upright  more  than  anything  else.  My 
net  weight  is  not  small,  but  I  should  be  sorry  to 
mention  what  I  scaled  when  I  had  my  full  dress  on, 
although  it  seemed  to  make  no  difference  to  the 
reindeer. 

Our  two  vappus,  or  drivers,  were  handsome 
young  Lapps,  named  Peter  and  John  Johnsen. 
They  quickly  loaded  up  the  sledges,  and  soon  all 
was  ready  for  our  journey.  Peter  led  the  caravan, 
and  I  came  next.  Thurri,  whom  we  called  Johnnie, 
followed,  and  Mesch  and  Peter's  brother  brought 
up  the  rear  with  the  baggage.  We  had  beautiful 
weather  and  a  hot  sun  during  our  stay  at  Bosskop, 
and  the  night  before  leaving  there  was  a  very 
fine   aurora   borealis.     This   was   not   a   welcome 


142  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

sign,  as  it  meant  a  change  of  weather,  either  for 
snow  or  wind.  But  the  morning  turned  out  lovely, 
and  after  bidding  farewell  to  our  friends  at  the 
hotel  we  set  off  to  the  merry  jingling  of  the  little 
bells  on  the  reindeers'  necks  and  the  barking  of 
many  dogs. 

The  first  part  of  the  road  was  uphill,  and  the 
procession,  with  slow  and  melancholy  steps,  silently 
ploughed  through  the  snow,  the  Laplanders  walking 
at  the  heads  of  the  deer.  Having  got  clear  of  the 
small  enclosures  round  Bosskop,  we  entered  the 
Alten  forest.  The  track  here  was  hard,  and  the 
deer,  given  their  heads,  started  off  with  spirit, 
and  were  soon  trotting  and  galloping  down  the 
slopes  and  hills.  As  this  was  my  fifth  exj)edition, 
I  knew  how  to  drive  and  sit  in  a  pulka,  and  my 
companions  were,  of  course,  experienced.  When  a 
beginner,  however,  one  is  generally  left  prostrate 
in  the  snow  with  the  pulka  on  its  side  and  the 
deer  making  a  furious  assault  on  the  novice,  know- 
ing his  inexperience. 

It  is  difficult  at  first  to  preserve  one's  balance 
and  prevent  the  pulka  overturning,  owing  to  the 
rate  at  which  it  travels  and  the  roughness  of  the 
surface,  but  one  soon  gets  accustomed  to  throwing 
one's  weight  quickly  on  one  side  or  the  other,  as 
necessity  requires.  Often  when  the  deer  start 
they  seem  wild,  as  if  a  dog  had  startled  them,  and 
an  untamed  deer  takes  a  deal  of  management  to 
get  him  to  go  straight  ahead.  Whatever  happens, 
however,  one  must  not  lose  grip  of  the  rein,  which 
is  twisted  round  the  wrist. 

The    road    was    very    mountainous,    but    good. 


i 


iPhoto  by  Author 


BOSSKOP.      LAPPS   BRINGING   IN   REINDEER   SKINS  AND   OTHER   WARES  TO   SELL 
AT  THE   FAIR   AND   MARKET   WHICH    IS   HELD   TWICE   A   YEAR. 


I   ^ 


^Pitoto    y  Author, 
BASSEVOUDSTUEN.      GOVERNMENT   REST-HOUSE   ON    THE    BORDERS   OF   FINLAND. 

143 


REINDEER  AND  WOLVES  145 

passing  through  woods  of  silver  birch.  The  first 
day  we  did  not  intend  going  very  far,  and  stopped 
at  a  very  prettily  situated  farmhouse  at  Romsdal, 
about  ten  miles  from  Bosskop.  When  we  in- 
quired if  we  could  have  a  room,  the  owner  said 
she  was  sorry,  but  she  could  not  possibly  oblige 
us.  We  therefore  pitched  our  tent,  and  then, 
entering  the  farmhouse,  changed  our  jiaesks  and 
reindeer  shoes  for  ski  boots  and  wind  jackets,  and 
went  for  runs  round  Romsdal.  Towards  evening 
we  tried  our  hands  at  lassoing,  the  Lapps  being 
very  clever  and  seldom  missing  their  objective. 
This  is  the  method  they  employ  in  catching  their 
deer. 

Lighting  our  Primus  stove,  we  soon  got  the 
tent  warm.  The  reindeer  had  been  unharnessed 
and  taken  up  the  mountains  for  the  moss,  Johann 
staying  with  them  all  night  as  a  guard  against 
wolves.  These  animals  not  only  kill  the  young 
calves,  but  do  not  hesitate  to  attack  full-grown 
deer  as  well.  Thus,  outside  the  camps,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  place  a  watch  to  protect  the  deer,  and 
women,  and  even  young  children,  assist  in  this 
work.  Once  I  asked  a  little  girl  if  she  were  not 
afraid,  while  watching  all  night  over  the  reindeer, 
but  she  answered  through  the  interpreter,  "  The 
wolves  like  the  reindeer  better  than  me."  The 
Laplander  is  always  on  the  look-out  for  wolves, 
not  only  because  of  the  premium  offered  by  the 
Government  for  their  skins,  but  because  they  are 
the  great  enemy  of  the  deer,  and  without  the 
latter  existence  would  be  impossible  in  this  northern 
latitude.     The  reindeer  is  not  only  the  national 


146  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

beast  of  burden,  but  it  supplies  the  Lapp  with 
milk,  cream,  meat,  needles,  weapons,  cordage,  and 
clothes,  so  it  is  no  wonder  he  holds  it  in  high 
esteem. 

Should  the  spoor  of  a  wolf  be  encountered 
when  travelling,  it  is  usual  to  stop,  and  off  goes 
the  Lapp  on  his  skis,  carrying  no  weapon  but 
a  short  thick  stick.  Thus  equipped,  he  can 
travel  faster  than  his  quarry,  and  when  he  over- 
takes it  he  kills  it  by  striking  it  a  sharp  blow  across 
the  snout.  I  heard  of  a  Lapp  who,  after,  as  he 
thought,  killing  a  wolf,  picked  it  up  by  the  tail 
and,  thromng  it  across  his  shoulder,  began  to  re- 
trace his  steps  homewards.  He  had  not  proceeded 
far,  however,  when  the  beast,  which  had  only  been 
stunned,  revived,  and  to  the  great  surprise  of 
the  hunter  suddenly  turned  round  and  seized  him 
by  the  neck.  If  the  man  had  not  instantly  released 
his  hold  of  the  vicious  creature  he  would  probably 
have  lost  his  life. 

After  dinner  in  the  farmhouse  we  turned  into 
our  tent  and  crawled  into  the  sleeping-bags  of 
reindeer,  which  we  found  comfortable  and  warm. 

Next  morning  we  rose  at  five  o'clock  in  order 
to  start  at  nine.  This  may  sound  odd,  but  we 
always  allowed  ourselves  four  hours  in  which  to 
dress — or  rather  undress  and  dress  again — as  we 
always  slept  in  our  clothes,  as  do  the  Lapps.  Our 
first  meal  on  waking  was  tea  and  bread  and  butter. 
The  big  meal  of  the  day  came  at  seven  o'clock. 
It  was  difficult  at  first  to  get  accustomed  to  dining 
at  this  unearthly  hour  in  the  morning,  instead  of 
at  seven  or  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  but  as 


REINDEER  AND  WOLVES  147 

we  never  knew  where  or  when  we  should  get  our 
next  meal,  it  was  as  well  to  be  certain  of  one.  Our 
great  stand-by  was  reindeer  meat,  which  was  cut 
up  and  put  into  boiUng  water,  and  made  a  good 
soup  or  bouillon.  The  winter  food  of  the  Lapp  is 
almost  entirely  venison,  consisting  of  soup  made  of 
reindeer  meat,  reindeer  steaks  and  tongues,  and  the 
marrow-bones  of  the  legs.  Reindeer  milk  and 
cream  is  excellent,  and  the  sour  milk  also  is  very 
wholesome.  In  the  summer  the  Lapps  live  mostly 
on  fish,  principally  salmon-trout,  which  they  catch 
in  the  rivers  and  lakes.  Some  travellers  have 
declared  that  the  Lapp  is  gluttonous.  In  the  winter 
he  certainly  eats  a  great  deal,  but  it  is  necessary  to 
do  so  in  order  to  keep  out  the  intense  cold. 

While  we  were  partaking  of  our  early  meal  our 
Lapp  drivers  went  o£E  into  the  mountains  to  fetch 
the  reindeer  down  in  readiness  for  starting  off 
again.  In  certain  parts  of  Lapland  the  reindeer 
are  more  docile  than  in  others,  but,  generally 
speaking,  they  are  only  half -tamed,  and  at  times 
can  be  very  dangerous  with  their  forefeet.  When 
attacked  by  wolves  or  other  beasts  of  prey  they 
defend  themselves  with  their  forelegs  and  seldom 
use  their  horns.  The  Lapps  start  to  accustom 
them  to  the  sledge  when  about  two  years  old,  but 
at  first  they  are  very  wild.  When  broken  in,  they 
can  easily  pull  a  load  of  three  hundred  pounds, 
travelHng  at  an  average  speed  of  eight  miles  an  hour 
over  the  rough,  frozen  ground. 

The  harness  is  very  gorgeous  when  new,  con- 
sisting of  a  collar  of  reindeer  fur  which  passes 
round   the   neck,    and   to   which   is   suspended   a 


148  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

large  bell,  the  sound  of  which  keeps  the  caravan 
together,  and  is  often  the  only  noise  heard  in 
these  quiet  snow-wastes  of  the  North  save  the 
rustling  of  the  wind  in  the  trees.  At  the  bottom 
of  the  collar  are  two  small  pieces  of  stuffed 
leather  of  an  oval  shape,  which  hang  between  the 
legs  of  the  animal.  To  these  is  attached  the  trace, 
which  is  single,  and  is  made  of  strong  leather. 
It  passes  between  the  legs  of  the  deer,  and  is 
fastened  by  a  small  transverse  piece  of  wood 
into  an  iron  ring  at  the  fore  part  of  the  sledge. 
Round  the  body  of  the  deer  is  a  broad  belly- 
band  of  coloured  cloth,  through  which  the  trace 
passes.  The  bridle  consists  of  a  strip  of  sealskin. 
No  stick  or  whip  is  used,  the  driving  being  done 
by  the  manipulation  of  the  rein  and  by  oral  com- 
mands. Should  the  reindeer  get  out  of  control  the 
Lapp  simply  drives  it  off  the  track  into  the  deep 
snow,  when  the  extra  weight  pulls  the  animal  up 
and  has  the  desired  effect  in  quietening  it. 

After  breakfast  we  changed  our  shoes  and 
warmed  the  hay  or  dried  grass  inside,  a  process 
which  took  about  fifteen  minutes,  as  the  feet  during 
the  day  and  night  get  damp  with  perspiration.  This 
is  one  of  the  most  important  things  for  the  traveller 
in  Lapland  to  remember,  since  changing  and 
drying  the  hay  keeps  one's  feet  warm  for  the  next 
twenty-four  hours.  When  all  was  ready  we  started 
off  for  the  fjeldstue,  or  Government  rest-house,  at 
Jokas Jarre.  The  road  at  first  was  good,  through 
woods  and  across  a  lake,  but  soon  it  became  less 
favourable.  A  heavy  snowstorm,  driven  by  a 
strong  north-east  wind,  lashed  our  faces,  and  the 


FROST-BITE— A  REST-HOUSE  149 

new  snow  was  so  deep  that  it  made  very  heavy 
going  for  the  reindeer.  At  times  we  could  only 
make  two  miles  an  hour,  and  our  faces  had  a  thick 
veil  of  ice  and  frozen  snow  over  them.  As  we 
were  plodding  along  we  were  joined  by  another 
caravan,  and  a  Lapp  woman  who  knew  the  winter 
way  well  helped  us  a  good  deal.  We  could  only 
just  have  our  noses  uncovered  to  breathe,  and 
our  mouths  were  covered  with  masses  of  ice  which 
joined  our  moustaches.  My  cheek  got  severely 
frost-bitten,  and  I  only  discovered  the  fact  next 
day,  when  I  saw  that  my  face  was  blue,  as  if  it  had 
been  bruised. 

The  Lapp  dogs  we  had  with  us  were  very  useful, 
and  worked  hard,  showing  the  way  and  cheering 
up  the  reindeer  with  their  barking.  We  were  very 
pleased  after  struggling  against  the  storm  to  see 
the  fjeldstue  ahead,  and  once  inside  it  soon  forgot 
the  rough  experience  we  had  gone  through.  It 
was  a  well-built  house,  but  hardly  visible  above 
the  drifted  snow.  The  comfortable  beds  were  made 
of  twigs,  giving  the  effect  of  a  spring  mattress, 
with  reindeer  skins  laid  on  top.  The  ordinary 
charge  for  one  person  each  night  in  these  Govern- 
ment rest-houses  is  a  kronen,  equal  to  one  shilling 
and  three-halfpence  in  English  money,  and  a 
present  to  the  caretaker  or  guardian  is  customary. 
This  official  is  paid  by  the  Government  to  keep 
the  place  clean  and  look  after  the  china,  knives, 
and  cooking  utensils.  He  also  sees  to  the  supply 
of  wood  for  the  fires  and  paraffin  oil  for  the  lamps. 
A  visitors'  book  is  kept,  and  all  names  are  written 
in  it,  including  information  as  to  the  last  place 

7 


150  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  traveller  stayed  at,  where  he  is  going  to,  and 
his  profession  and  nationality.  All  night  it  snowed 
and  blew  hard,  and  we  congratulated  ourselves 
on  being  under  shelter  above  the  snow-line,  there 
being  no  habitation  for  many  miles  around.  Owing 
to  the  weather  the  Lapps  could  not  let  the  reindeer 
go  loose  to  feed,  so  they  had  to  tie  them  up  and  bring 
the  moss  to  them.  Only  a  few  nights  before  a 
Lapp  caravan  had  lost  eight  reindeer,  killed  by  the 
wolves. 

We  were  up  early  next  morning,  and  started 
o&  at  our  usual  time  for  the  next  rest-house  at 
MoUesjok.  It  was  still  snowing  and  blowing  hard, 
but  we  made  good  progress.  On  arrival  there,  at 
half-past  six  in  the  evening,  we  found  nice  beds 
of  silver-birch  twigs  and  a  good  fire  awaiting  us. 
The  following  day  we  still  had  to  plod  on  through 
snowstorms  and  high  mountain  fjeldSy  but  reached 
the  rest-house  at  Ravnastuen  safely  that  evening. 
This  is  quite  a  large  fjeldstue,  and  is  much  used. 

The  following  day  we  arrived  at  Karasjok.  This 
place  is  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from 
Bosskop,  and  the  journey  had  occupied  five  days. 
The  rest-house  here  is  very  large,  virtually  a 
hotel,  and  quite  up  to  date.  Karasjok  is  the  Crewe 
or  Clapham  Junction  of  Lapland,  all  roads  leading 
to  it  from  north,  south,  east,  and  west.  It  is  a 
beautifully  situated  town,  a  great  centre  of  the 
Lapp  population,  and  boasts  of  schools,  a  church, 
and  several  shops  kept  by  Norwegian  merchants. 

Our  first  duty  after  our  arrival  at  Karasjok  was 
to  call  upon  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hegge,  the  Lensman 
and  his  wife.     This  we  did  after  we  had  had  a 


KARASJOK— SKI-RUNNING  151 

bath  and  changed  our  Lapp  dress  for  ordinary 
clothes,  ski-boots,  and  skis.  The  Lensman's  house 
was  the  best  in  the  town,  and  was  furnished  in  the 
latest  and  most  comfortable  style.  We  obtained 
from  him  all  the  information  we  needed  as  to  our 
next  journey  to  Angeli,  on  the  Anajokki  River 
frontier,  between  Norway  and  Russian  Lapland. 
Of  this  part  of  Norway  there  are  no  good  maps, 
and  we  could  find  no  one  who  had  been  to  Enare, 
although  it  is  an  important  Lapp  settlement  at 
the  head  of  the  lake  of  that  name. 

Fortunately,  the  weather  had  turned  fine  again, 
with  a  beautiful  full  moon.  It  was  nice  to  hear 
the  tinkling  bells  of  the  deer  going  through  the 
town.  We  took  photographs  of  Karasjok,  the 
church,  the  quaint  native  dwellings,  and  the  fine 
river.  Everyone  was  most  kind  to  us,  and  took 
a  special  delight  in  pointing  out  the  best  ski-runs. 
An  acquaintance  with  and  some  skill  in  the  art 
of  ski-ing  is  almost  a  necessity  if  one  wishes  to 
travel  in  Lapland.  You  cannot  move  far  away 
from  the  pulka  without  putting  on  skis,  as  the 
snow  around  may  be  very  deep.  To  take  a  photo- 
graph it  is  often  necessary  to  get  out  on  to  the 
snow,  and  unless  you^^are  wearing  [skis  you  are 
liable  in  a  few  minutes  to  sink  up  to  your  knees 
in  the  soft  snow.  The  Lapps  are  undoubtedly  the 
swiftest  and  finest  ski-runners  in  the  world.  They 
think  nothing  of  making  journeys  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  on  these  wonderful  snow-shoes.  By 
means  of  skis  they  catch  wolves  and  foxes,  and 
hunt  the  elk  and  the  bear. 

We  remained  at  Karasjok  a  few  days,  and  then 


152  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

started  for  the  next  fjeldstue,  or  rest-house,  on 
the  River  Iskarajoki.  Our  fresh  deer  were  much 
faster  and  stronger  than  those  which  had  drawn 
us  hitherto,  and  they  trotted  all  the  way.  One 
or  two  young  reindeer  joined  our  caravan,  and 
it  was  amusing  to  see  them  running  along  by 
the  side  of  the  harnessed  animals.  They  had 
probably  strayed  from  the  herd  of  some  Lapp 
encampment.  They  kept  with  us  for  hours,  and 
then,  getting  tired,  dropped  out.  The  rest-house 
being  new,  and  no  caretaker  having  been  appointed, 
we  were  given  the  key.  It  was  situated  in  a  very 
picturesque  site  on  the  River  Iskarajoki,  and  con- 
tained two  large  rooms,  one  for  ourselves  and  the 
other  for  the  Lapps.  There  was  plenty  of  wood 
for  fuel  for  the  two  fires,  and  a  supply  of  paraffin 
for  the  lamps.  The  dwelling  was  built  of  trees 
and  logs,  the  interstices  being  filled  in  with  tar- 
paulin to  keep  out  the  cold,  and  there  were  double 
windows.  Not  many  travellers  pass  this  way, 
and  there  were  few  names  in  the  visitors'  book. 
The  following  morning,  after  leaving  the  little  bun- 
galow clean  and  just  as  we  found  it,  we  proceeded 
to  Angeli. 

The  fore  was  very  good,  and  passed  by  a  most 
picturesque  river.  Here  we  stayed  at  another 
comfortable  fjeldstue,  with  a  splendid  open  wood- 
fire,  at  a  place  called  Bassevoudstuen,  on  the 
Anajokki  River,  on  the  other  side  of  which  was 
Finland,  or  Russian  Lapland.  The  rest-house  was 
in  the  middle  of  the  pine  forests,  and  the  custodian, 
or  guardian,  who  looked  after  it  was  most  attentive 
in   getting   us   water   and   wood.     The   snow   was 


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FORESTS  AND   RIVERS  155 

four  feet  deep  everywhere,  and  the  deer  had  much 
difficulty  in  digging  down  through  it  to  the  yellow 
moss  beneath.  It  is  a  curious  sight  to  come  across 
a  herd  of  several  hundred  deer  with  only  their 
hindquarters  visible,  their  heads  and  horns  being 
covered  in  snow  as  they  dig  through  it  with  their 
fore-legs  to  get  at  the  moss. 

All  the  way  on  the  Tana  River  and  on  the  banks 
of  the  Karajokka  were  remarkably  fine  forests  of 
firs  and  pine-trees,  which  mostly  belong  to  the 
Government.  The  ride  through  these  forests  was 
delightful.  The  trees  were  clothed  in  a  mantle  of 
white  and  their  branches  glistened  like  threads  of 
sparkling  gems  in  the  sunlight.  On  our  way  we 
passed  several  kerris,  carrying  merchandise  to  and 
from  the  various  Lapp  settlements.  These  are 
horse-drawn  sledges,  but  they  can  only  be  used 
along  the  frozen  waterways,  and  only  then  when 
the  snow  is  not  too  deep.  The  rivers  freeze  solid 
to  a  depth  of  15  feet  and  more,  and  upon  this 
hard  surface  horse-drawn  sledges  can  be  driven. 
The  rivers  are  frozen  every  year  from  October 
till  nearly  the  end  of  May.  The  kerris  are  made 
of  fir-planks,  strongly  ribbed  inside,  are  about 
10  or  12  feet  in  length,  7  feet  in  height,  and  measure 
3  feet  across  the  broadest  part.  They  are  used 
all  along  the  Tana  River,  right  from  Karasjok  to 
Polmak  in  the  north.  For  ordinary  travelling 
horses  are  useless,  as  the  snow  is  too  deep. 

Leaving  the  rest-house  at  Bassevoudstuen,  we 
crossed  the  river  and  were  in  Russian  Lapland. 
The  morning  was  hot,  and  the  snow  soft  and  very 
deep.     A    Lapp    woman,    with    beautiful   features 


156  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

and  a  knowledge  of  the  road,  led  us  part  of  the  way. 
One  could  not  help  imagining  that  if  she  had  been 
dressed  in  the  latest  Paris  creations  she  would  have 
vied  in  beauty  and  in  figure  with  her  sisters  of  the 
more  southern  latitudes.  We  often  tried  to  get 
a  photograph  of  the  women  in  their  semi-decoUetee, 
when  they  seemed  to  be  more  like  our  English 
sisters,  but  never  succeeded.  The  only  time  we 
ever  saw  them  so  attired  was  in  the  fjeldstues, 
feeding  their  babies.  Their  skins  were  as  white 
as  marble.  The  women  in  Lapland  live  a  hard 
life.  In  addition  to  their  domestic  duties,  they 
make  all  the  clothes  and  boots  for  the  family, 
and  weave  the  blankets  for  the  tents.  They  cut 
the  wood  for  the  fires,  and  knit  the  nets  for  fishing 
and  mend  them.  They  perform  these  tasks  while 
their  menfolk  look  after  the  reindeer  and  hunt  the 
wolves  and  the  foxes.  But  I  frequently  met 
women  driving  pulkas,  and  even  hauling  mer- 
chandise to  market. 

The  fore  was  not  good  for  the  first  few  miles 
through  the  pine  woods,  and  the  road  was  very- 
deep,  owing  to  the  softness  of  the  snow.  We  were 
very  pleased  to  have  the  assistance  of  the  lady 
Lapp,  who  was  evidently  well  acquainted  with  the 
district.  She  was  going  to  meet  her  husband  and 
family  a  few  miles  distant.  Presently  we  came  upon 
a  herd  of  a  thousand  reindeer,  which  were  being 
looked  after  by  a  number  of  Lapps  of  both  sexes. 
The  Lapps  were  all  on  skis,  and  carried  lassoes 
round  their  bodies  with  which  to  catch  the  strayers. 
In  lassoing  the  deer  the  women  appeared  to  be  as 
skilful  as  the  men.     The  winter  costume  of  both 


LASSOING  REINDEER  157 

sexes  being  the  same,  it  is  not  easy  at  first  to  dis- 
tinguish one  from  the  other.  The  women  generally, 
however,  wear  a  white  reindeer  coat  and  a  red  cap 
adorned  with  yellow  or  blue  embroidery.  The 
men's  caps  are  filled  with  eiderdown  and  feathers 
from  different  birds,  and  have  a  somewhat  square 
and  stiff  appearance.  At  fairs  and  on  special 
festive  occasions  the  women  appear  with  many- 
coloured  shawls  over  their  shoulders,  and  adorned 
with  silver  ornaments.  Silver  rings  are  much 
prized,  and  are  extensively  worn  by  both  sexes. 

In  the  encampment,  which  reminded  one  of  a 
gentleman's  park  filled  with  deer,  we  came  across 
some  very  fine  Lapp  dogs,  a  sort  of  large  Pomer- 
anian breed,  some  jet  black  and  with  no  tails.  The 
dogs  have  a  hard  life  and  are  never  petted.  They 
know  exactly  what  to  do.  They  assist  their 
masters  in  breaking  the  deer  to  harness,  and  hold 
them  at  bay  while  they  are  being  lassoed,  which  is 
the  only  way  to  catch  them  when  they  are  wanted. 
The  dogs  run  with  the  deer  all  day  long,  and  never 
seem  to  get  tired.  Through  the  interpreter  our 
lady  traveller  introduced  us  to  her  husband,  and 
we  stayed  over  an  hour  taking  photographs  of  the 
Lapps  on  their  skis.  They  all  begged  me  to  let 
them  have  a  picture  of  themselves,  and  since  my 
return  I  have  dispatched  scores  of  photographs  to 
Lapland,  but  whether  they  ever  reached  their 
destination  or  not  I  do  not  know. 

In  the  evening  the  going  was  better.  The  snow 
was  harder,  and  it  was  also  much  colder.  We 
were  quite  comfortable,  however,  in  our  heavy 
reindeer  clothing.     We  put  up  that  night  in  a  clean 


158  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Finnish  farmhouse  at  a  place  called  Terro.  While 
passing  through  Rintula  next  day  we  noticed  a 
large  new  building  and  stopped  to  inspect  it.  We 
learnt  that  it  had  been  recently  erected  for  the 
benefit  of  the  poor  children  of  the  district,  and  was 
in  many  respects  like  a  hospital.  All  the  notices 
were  in  Russian,  and  a  Russian  lady  showed  us 
over  the  building.  They  told  us  here  that  no  one 
remembered  such  deep  snow  for  fifty  years. 

The  road  from  here  to  Enare  was  very  good, 
with  banks  of  snow  on  each  side,  made  by  the  pulkas 
travelling  to  and  from  the  hospital.  We  arrived 
at  our  destination  at  midday.  Our  first  view  of 
it  was  the  high  steeple  of  the  church  standing  out 
above  the  lake.  Enare  was  one  of  the  places  I 
particularly  desired  to  see.  As  I  could  find  no 
books  or  description  of  this  part  of  Lapland  in 
any  of  the  Geographical  Societies'  libraries,  the 
only  way  to  find  out  what  the  place  was  like  was  to 
go  there  and  see  it  for  myself.  It  is,  nevertheless, 
one  of  the  oldest  of  Lapp  towns,  and  is  marked  on 
all  the  maps. 

Our  reindeer  trotted  up  in  great  form  and  fresh- 
ness, as  if  aware  it  was  the  end  of  their  journey. 
We  were  greeted,  as  usual,  by  the  barking  of  many 
dogs,  which  brought  the  people  out  of  their  dwell- 
ings to  see  who  the  strangers  might  be.  The 
first  thing  to  ask  for  was  the  rest-house.  Alighting 
here,  we  found  most  comfortable  rooms,  well 
heated,  with  two  good  beds,  and  the  first  blankets 
we  had  seen  for  a  long  time.  In  a  cafe  adjoining, 
facing  the  lake,  which  was  filled  with  people,  an 
accordion  was  being  played. 


RUSSIAN  LAPLAND  159 

We  were  pleased  to  get  a  rest  after  travelling 
so  hard,  and  the  first  thing  we  did  was  to  order 
a  hastue — a  Finnish  vapour-bath.  We  then  changed 
our  clothes,  and  called  upon  the  Lensman,  Mr. 
Alaranta.  He  introduced  us  to  his  young  Russian 
wife,  who  had  passed  in  honours  at  the  University 
at  Helsingfors,  and  who  chatted  with  us  in  French. 
They  were  most  hospitable,  invited  us  to  dinner, 
and  gave  us  all  the  information  we  required,  and 
a  new  map  to  find  our  way  up  north  to  Petchenga 
and  the  Murman  coast.  Enare  is  quite  a  large 
place,  with  fine  open  squares,  a  Russian  post-office, 
and  a  small  wooden  house  which  serves  as  a  gaol 
at  the  back  of  the  church  with  its  high  steeple. 

This  was  the  first  prison  I  had  seen  in  Russian 
Lapland,  and  I  was  gratified  to  discover  that  it 
was  empty.  Naturally,  the  Lapps  have  to  con- 
form to  the  laws  of  the  country  in  which  they  reside. 
They  give  the  authorities  little  trouble,  and  there 
is  seldom  anything  more  serious  than  occasional 
cases  of  theft.  The  Lapp  is  an  industrious  and 
a  very  contented  individual.  Honesty  is  one  of 
the  great  virtues  of  the  people,  and  the  merchants 
who  trade  with  them  speak  most  highly  of  their 
integrity.  These  men  will  buy  scores  of  pounds' 
worth  of  articles  and  then  leave  them  for  months 
at  a  time  in  small  wooden  buildings  without  even 
a  lock  on  the  door.  It  is  very  rare  that  an 
article  is  stolen. 

Returning  to  the  rest-house,  we  found  our  care- 
taker had  ordered  a  vapour -bath  to  be  got  ready 
for  us  at  seven  o'clock.  It  was  by  no  means  the 
first  occasion  I  had  indulged  in  one  of  these  re- 


160  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

markable  ablations.  The  bath-house  is  a  small 
wooden  structure,  generally  situated  some  way 
from  the  dwelling-house.  It  is  divided  into  two 
compartments,  one  to  undress  in,  while  the  other 
contains  the  oven  which  produces  the  steam.  The 
oven  is  arched  with  large  stones  or  pebbles,  and 
heated  by  a  fire  placed  beneath.  Undressing  in 
the  first  room,  one  enters  the  heated  compartment. 
After  a  short  rest  on  a  wooden  form  or  bench, 
which  contains  a  place  for  the  head,  the  attendants 
come  in  and  bathe  you.  Cold  water  is  thrown 
over  the  stones,  and  the  hissing  vapour  soon  sends 
up  a  cloud  of  steam.  The  higher  you  sit  from 
the  floor,  the  greater  the  heat.  As  more  water  is 
thrown  over  the  red-hot  stones  the  vapour  becomes 
so  intense  that  one  can  hardly  breathe.  We  were 
soon  gasping  for  breath  and  covered  with  a  profuse 
perspiration,  which  issued  from  every  pore  of  the 
skin.  Hanging  up  in  the  room  were  tender  branches 
or  twigs  in  a  green  state  and  retaining  their  leaves. 
Dipping  these  in  water,  the  attendant  began  lashing 
and  whipping  me  across  the  legs,  shoulders,  loins, 
and  back,  till  my  body  seemed  quite  red  with  the 
switching.  The  bastinadoing  over,  I  was  then 
washed  with  a  soft  flannel  covered  with  soap, 
after  which  a  jug  of  the  coldest  water  was  thrown 
over  my  head  and  body.  Such  are  the  operations 
of  the  bastue,  and  I  must  confess  that  one  feels 
greatly  refreshed  after  such  a  bath.  In  passing 
through  villages  I  often  noticed  the  smoke  issuing 
from  the  small  apertures  of  these  bath  structures, 
indicating  that  the  inhabitants  were  taking  their 
weekly  "  tub."     Every  Saturday  the  whole  family 


VAPOUR  BATHS— LAKE  ENARE  161 

resort  to  it,  and  males  and  females  use  the  bath 
at  the  same  time,  the  latter  performing  the  offices 
of  the  bath  for  the  former. 

Next  day  we  visited  the  postmaster  and  bought 
Russian  stamps,  his  daughter  showing  us  the 
different  kinds  of  stamps  used.  We  had  now  to 
get  another  driver  and  ten  reindeer  to  carry  us 
north  to  Kirkeness.  We  regretted  very  much 
leaving  the  two  drivers  who  had  brought  us  all 
the  way  from  Bosskop,  but  they  were  anxious  to 
get  back  to  their  homes  in  Karasjok.  We  found 
the  deer  of  this  district  much  larger  and  stronger 
than  those  of  Norwegian  Lapland,  as  well  as  more 
docile  and  tame,  while  thej'^  were  also  accustomed 
to  eating  hay.  Our  route  la}'^  across  Lake  Enare, 
over  sixty  miles  in  length,  and  one  of  the  largest 
in  Lapland.  It  was,  of  course,  frozen  solid,  the 
ice  being  strong  enough  to  carry  a  railway  train. 
We  stopped  for  lanch  and  moss  at  Pottomiemi,  a 
delightful  little  farm  kept  by  a  Laplander  on  one 
of  the  many  islands  with  which  the  lake  abounds. 
Then  off  we  started  again,  staying  that  night  at 
another  native  farmhouse  at  Vuontisjoure.  The 
reindeer  here  were  very  tame,  and  came  close  up 
to  the  house.  Unfortunately,  their  owner  was 
greatly  troubled  by  bears  and  wolves.  The  Govern- 
ment premium  for  a  bear  is  two  pounds  ten  shillings 
and  five  pounds  for  a  wolf. 

A  two  days'  journey,  w^hich  was  full  of  interest, 
brought  us  to  Reisvuono  Bugo  Fjord.  The  run 
from  Enare  to  this  point  was  certainly  the  fastest 
and  finest  trip  I  have  ever  made  with  reindeer  ; 

I  the  snow  surface  was  excellent,  and  the  pulkas 
I 


162  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

seemed  to  skim  over  the  frozen  snow  like  a  skate. 
In  the  daytime  the  sun  shone  brightly,  and  there 
was  a  keen  sharpness  in  the  air.  At  night  the 
heavens  were  illuminated  by  the  Northern  Lights 
and  by  a  beautiful  moon.  One  could  have  read 
a  paper  almost  at  any  hour  of  the  night.  Our 
intentions  were  to  push  on  to  Kirkeness,  but, 
unfortunately,  we  were  unable  to  make  our  driver 
understand,  and  he  landed  us  close  to  Nieden, 
on  one  of  the  arms  of  the  Varanger  Fjord,  opposite 
Vadso.  By  communicating  with  the  harbour- 
master at  Kirkeness,  who  was  expecting  us,  we 
were  able  to  charter  a  motor-boat  to  convey  us 
and  our  baggage  across  to  Vadso.  In  the  early 
morning  there  was  a  thick  fog  in  the  fjord,  called 
a  frost  fog.  But  the  sun  soon  shone  out  brightly, 
and  it  cleared  away,  giving  us  a  beautiful  view  of 
the  little  bay  and  the  sea  covered  with  thick  ice, 
with  millions  of  snow-flowers  on  the  surface. 

Owing  to  the  ice,  the  motor-yacht,  a  boat  of 
twenty  tons,  could  not  approach  the  shore  nearer 
than  a  mile,  so  we  had  to  harness  the  reindeer  to 
the  sledges  and  put  the  dinghy  on  the  runners, 
and  so  convey  our  baggage  out  to  the  yacht.  I 
took  some  good  photographs  of  our  caravan  on  the 
ice  and  the  dinghy  being  pulled  by  the  reindeer. 
We  put  the  dinghy  in  the  water  and  stepped  from 
her  into  the  yacht.  Turning  the  handle  of  the 
motor,  the  captain  backed  out  of  the  ice,  and 
three  hours  later  we  reached  Vadso.  It  was 
pleasant  to  see  the  cliffs  running  down  to  the  salt 
water  and  to  hear  the  cri^s  of  the  seagulls.  At 
Vadso  I  felt  at  home,  for  I  had  visited  it  twice 


VADSO  163 

before  in  winter  ;  in  fact,  it  was  here  that  I  first 
tried  my  hand  at  reindeer  driving.  The  slopes 
all  round  are  well  suited  for  the  sport.  There  are 
some  good  hotels  at  Vadso,  and  it  can  be  recom- 
mended as  a  splendid  centre  for  ski-ing  and  pulka 
driving.  In  normal  times  this  Northern  Russian 
Lapp  settlement  can  be  reached  by  steamer  from 
London  via  Newcastle  and  Bergen  in  six  days. 

I  spent  several  days  in  Vadso  ski-ing  and  reindeer 
driving,  and  had  a  most  delightful  time.  I  had 
now  to  see  about  making  arrangements  for  our 
next  journey,  which  included  a  visit  to  the  famous 
monastery  at  Petchenga,  on  the  river  of  that 
name.  I  said  good-bye  to  our  Swedish  inter- 
preter, Borg  Mesch,  as  it  was  necessary  for  me 
to  engage  one  who  could  speak  Russian,  for  we 
were  about  to  enter  Russian  territory.  I  was 
fortunate  in  finding  a  capable  young  Russian  who 
could  speak  English.  My  faithful  Lapp,  Johann 
Thuni,  remained  with  me  to  interpret  the  Lappish 
language,  and  to  help  in  many  other  ways — valeting, 
driving  the  pulka,  and  looking  after  the  baggage 
and  provisions.  He  was  one  of  those  rare  all-round 
useful  men.  He  knew  the  best  part  of  the  reindeer 
meat  to  buy  for  the  stew-pot,  and  was  a  splendid 
chef.  He  also  knew  a  good  fox  or  wolf  skin,  and 
bought  me  several  very  fine  blue-fox  skins  caught 
in  traps  by  the  Lapps. 

From  Vadso  we  took  steamer  across  to  Kirke- 
ness,  arriving  there  about  midnight.  The  fjord 
was  frozen  over,  but  the  steamer  managed  to 
break  the  ice  and  come  alongside  the  quay.  Kirke- 
ness    is    a    comparatively    new    town,    containing 


164  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

about  five  thousand  inhabitants.  It  owes  its 
existence  entirely  to  the  iron-mines,  and  at  the  time 
of  my  visit  huge  smelting  furnaces  and  electric 
power-stations  were  being  put  up.  In  the  near 
future  it  will  undoubtedly  become  a  very  important 
centre.  We  got  rooms  at  a  new  hotel.  It  had 
only  just  been  built,  and  had  not  even  been  given 
a  name.  It  was  very  restful  to  find  a  comfortable 
Norwegian  bed  again,  after  so  many  weeks  of 
sleeping  in  travelling  clothes  on  small  branches  and 
twigs  and  reindeer  skins. 

Situated  among  many  trees,  Kirkeness  must  be 
a  lovely  spot  in  summer,  when  myriads  of  birds 
arrive  from  the  South.  The  railway  to  the  mines 
is  the  most  northerly  in  the  world,  and  is  well 
laid.  Our  first  objective  was  Svanvik,  on  the 
Pasvikclf  River,  and  thence  over  the  high  Petchenga 
mountain  fjeld  to  the  monastery  in  Russian  Lap- 
land. For  the  first  part  of  the  way  we  were  able 
to  take  horse-sledges  as  far  as  Strand,  where  we 
stopped  at  an  excellent  farmhouse  kept  by  a  Nor- 
wegian. Here,  close  to  the  Russian  frontier,  was 
a  very  good  Norwegian  school,  and  there  were 
many  houses  and  farms  on  the  Lang  Fjord.  The 
following  day  we  crossed  the  great  Pasvikelf  River, 
and  at  the  little  village  of  Skolteby  managed  to 
secure  reindeer  and  the  services  of  a  good  Lapp 
driver. 

Everything  was  now  changed,  for  we  were  in 
the  great  Russian  Empire.  The  language,  faces, 
dress,  manners,  customs,  and  religion  were  all 
Russian.  Icons  were  hanging  on  the  walls  and 
samovars  steaming  on  the  tables.     As  there  was 


THE  LAPP  AS  TRAVELLER  165 

no  hay  for  the  horses,  the  driver  brought  with 
him  from  Strand  two  or  three  large  loaves  of 
bread,  which  he  broke  into  chunks — food  which 
was  much  appreciated  by  the  horses.  On  our 
way  to  Skolteby  we  met  a  Russian  Lapp  with  a 
curious  head-dress  of  fur  behind  his  cap  that 
looked  like  a  wig,  and  came  down  on  both  sides 
of  his  face.  He  was  driving  a  sledge  to  which 
were  harnessed  four  reindeer,  and  carrying  a  long 
pole. 

What  I  could  never  understand  is  how  the 
Lapps  find  their  way  when  the  weather  is  bad. 
Through  the  fiercest  snowstorms,  when  it  is  im- 
possible to  see  a  yard  ahead,  they  will  plod  along 
and  never  seem  to  be  in  difficulties  about  their 
direction,  yet  they  never  use  a  compass.  To 
a  certain  extent  they  are  no  doubt  assisted  in 
this  work  by  the  dogs,  who  always  run  in  front 
of  the  caravafi  as  if  to  point  the  way,  while  the 
deer  keep  to  a  route  they  have  once  traversed 
if  given  their  head.  In  broad  daylight  it  is 
different,  for  then  travellers  are  guided  by  the 
physical  characteristics  of  the  country,  such  as 
mountains,  lakes,  rivers,  and  forests.  On  many 
of  the  routes,  too,  the  Lensmen  have  placed  sign- 
posts. These  consist  of  wooden  crosses  upon  which 
are  painted  arrows  indicating  the  direction.  Should 
the  weather  be  so  bad  that  further  progress 
is  impossible,  the  Lapp  pitches  his  tent  and 
takes  cover  until  the  storm  abates.  If  he  has 
no  tent,  he  simply  buries  himself  in  the  snow, 
and  there  peacefully  sleeps  through  the  blizzard. 
Sleeping  in  the  snow  is  actually  warmer  and  safer 


166  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

than  in  a  tent.  This  is  because  the  temperature 
of  the  snow  is  higher  than  that  of  the  air.  But 
the  Lapp  never  seems  to  feel  the  cold,  and  I  have 
seen  them  with  their  winter  paesks  more  open  in 
front  than  the  dress  of  others  who  live  in  warmer 
climates.  What  they  are  most  careful  about  is 
not  to  remove  their  gloves,  and  to  have  plenty  of 
dry  grass  in  their  shoes. 

At  Skolteby  the  pine  woods  were  very  pretty 
with  heavy  snow  on  the  trees,  and  hundreds 
of  ryper,  or  ptarmigan,  quite  tame,  in  winter 
plumage,  were  flying  about  and  making  a  calling 
sound  like  that  of  grouse.  The  road  or  winter 
way  was  excellent,  and  e?t  route  we  met  the  Rus- 
sian Lensman,  who  lives  at  Kola  Hewas,  in  a  sleigh 
drawn  by  two  reindeer.  The  vehicle  looked  like 
a  cradle  or  bath-chair  with  wheels  put  on  a  sledge. 
He  was  making  cigarettes,  and  gave  us  some,  but 
as  we  could  not  speak  Russian  we  could  only 
exchange  cards. 

We  were  ascending  all  the  way,  and  found  the 
cold  very  intense  over  the  Petchenga  fjeld.  The 
vappus  put  on  an  extra  reindeer  to  my  pulka,  and 
gave  me  a  long  pole  to  touch  any  member  of  the 
team  that  got  slack  and  was  not  pulling.  At  the 
top  we  rested  and  fed  the  reindeer  with  very  rich 
yellow  moss.  The  views  of  the  mountains  round 
were  very  fine.  The  evening  was  bright  and  clear, 
and,  reharnessing  the  deer,  we  started  for  the 
descent  on  the  other  side.  We  were  above  the 
snow -line,  and  there  was  nothing  to  see  but  smooth, 
firm  snow.  The  velocity  downhill  was  very  great, 
and   the   deer   galloped   all   the   way.     At   eleven, 


PETCHENGA  FJELD  AND  RIVER  167 

o'clock  at  night  we  reached  the  Petchenga  River 
and  the  village  of  Shalapin.  We  were  not  very- 
far  from  the  monastery,  and  moved  on  there. 
We  soon  saw  the  group  of  splendid  buildings,  with 
the  church  standing  out  conspicuously  among 
them.  Our  vappus  knew  the  way  well,  and  made 
straight  for  the  guest-house. 

It  was  past  midnight,  and  all  was  quiet,  but, 
ringing  a  bell,  we  soon  awoke  one  of  the  monks, 
and  he  immediately  got  up  and  showed  us  our 
room.  It  had  been  very  cold  travelling,  and  on 
entering  the  corridor  we  found  a  warm  welcome ; 
Hke  all  Russian  houses,  it  was  heated,  and  every 
room  has  the  same  comfortable  temperature.  Our 
guide  brought  us  a  splendid  samovar — a  sort  of 
tea-urn,  with  a  red-hot  iron  in  the  centre  to  keep 
the  water  heated — and  also  bread  and  butter  and 
some  tea  and  milk.  We  had  a  few  of  our  own 
provisions  ready,  and  after  a  light  meal  turned  in, 
well  ready  for  repose. 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and  at  five 
o'clock  the  bells  of  the  monastery  rang  for  church. 
Like  many  other  edifices  of  its  kind,  the  Petchenga 
monastery  has  had  a  most  eventful  career.  It 
has  played  an  important  part  in  the  history  of 
Lapland.  A  monastery  was  founded  on  this  spot 
so  far  back  as  the  sixteenth  century  by  a  pious 
monk,  named  Tryphon.  He  was  the  son  of  a  priest 
who  lived  near  the  town  of  Torjk,  in  the  district 
of  Novgorod.  He  believed  that  his  mission  in 
life  was  to  preach  Christianity  to  the  Laplanders. 
They  at  first  resented  his  pious  efforts,  and  over 
and  over  again  drove  him  away,  but  he  always 

8 


168  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

returned,  and  in  the  end  won  their  confidence 
and   erected  a  monastery. 

The  Laplanders  regard  Tryphon  as  their  saint, 
and  many  remarkable  stories  are  told  concerning 
his  piety  and  the  charmed  life  he  led.  One  day 
a  bear  entered  his  cell,  overturning  the  kneading- 
trough,  and  began  eating  the  dough,  when  Tryphon 
entered  the  cell.  "  My  Lord  Jesus  Christ  com- 
mands you  to  leave  this  cell  and  to  stand  still," 
declared  the  monk.  The  bear  went  outside  and 
stood  at  the  feet  of  the  holy  man.  Thereupon  the 
saint  chastised  the  culprit,  warned  him  never 
again  to  disturb  the  monastery,  and  dismissed  him. 
And  henceforth,  so  the  narrative  runs,  no  bear 
ever  harmed  the  reindeer  or  any  other  living  being 
of  the  monastery. 

Tryphon,  despite  his  arduous  life  and  labours, 
for  he  was  always  travelling  up  and  down  the 
bleak  country  preaching  to  the  natives,  lived  to 
the  ripe  old  age  of  ninety-eight,  and  was  buried 
within  the  monastery  church.  Seven  years  later, 
in  1590,  the  monastery  was  attacked  by  the  Swedes, 
all  the  buildings  were  destroyed,  and  fifty-one 
monks  and  sixty-five  laymen  and  workmen  perished 
by  the  sword.  Some  days  later  these  martyrs 
were  all  buried  in  one  grave,  and  the  spot  was 
abandoned.  Not  till  nearly  three  hundred  years 
later  was  the  monastery  restored.  On  July  16, 
1886,  a  small  band  of  eleven  monks  arrived  at 
Petchenga  with  building  material  and  tools,  and 
began  the  task  of  erecting  a  new  and  greater 
monastery  in  honour  of  their  saint. 

Within  ten  years  a  flourishing  little  town  had 


A  RUSSIAN  MONASTERY  169 

sprung  up  in  the  wilderness.  A  new,  large,  and 
spacious  church  had  been  built  of  timber,  with 
three  altars,  decorated  inside  with  much  care,  and 
richly  provided  with  all  church  utensils  and  with 
a  sacristy.  A  school  had  been  founded  and  many 
workshops  established  in  connection  with  the  monas- 
tery. Nineteen  dwelling-houses  and  sixteen  other 
buildings  had  also  been  erected.  In  addition  to  all 
this  work  and  their  ecclesiastical  duties,  the  monks 
had  cleared  the  land  for  miles  around,  from  the 
meadows  of  which  they  reaped  a  crop  of  five 
thousand  poods  of  hay  a  year,  while  a  good  road, 
twenty-five  versts  long,  was  built  to  the  sea.  The 
number  of  monks  residing  here  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  was  one  hundred  and  twenty.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  the  monastery  acts  as  a  bulwark,  as 
it  were,  of  the  Orthodox  Faith  against  any  possible 
invasion  of  the  teachings  of  another  faith  into 
Russian  territory  from  the  direction  of  the  Nor- 
wegian frontier. 

As  soon  'as  we  had  dressed  we  looked  out  of 
our  windows  and  saw  the  monks  going  to  prayers 
in  their  black  gowns  and  black  craped  hats.  A  i 
we  entered  the  church,  which  is,  of  course,  Greek, 
a  fine  choir  of  men  and  boys  was  singing.  It  was 
most  effective.  The  church  was  lit  up  with  hun- 
dreds of  lamps  and  candles.  The  priests  came  and 
threw  incense  on  the  different  icons,  and  the 
congregation,  the  servants  and  others  belonging 
to  the  monastery,  were  bowing  and  almost  touching 
the  fioor  with  their  heads  as  the  service  continued. 
There  is  no  organ  in  the  Russian  church,  or  seats 
to  sit  down  upon.     The  singing  without  the  organ. 


170  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

with  the  deep  bass  voices  of  the  choir,  was  very 
beautiful.  The  paintings  in  silver  frames  were 
very  fine.  There  were  many  silver  icons  and 
paintings  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Virgin  Mary. 

After  the  service  we  returned  to  our  guest- 
house, where  we  had  comfortable,  large  rooms 
and  beds,  and  here  we  had  breakfast.  The 
monastery  looks  like  a  military  drill-ground,  as 
the  buildings  are  far  from  each  other,  and  are 
isolated  in  case  of  fire.  Church  services  went  on 
all  daj^  and  we  attended  again  at  eleven  o'clock, 
and  also  at  vespers  at  four  o'clock.  We  could  not, 
however,  understand  a  word. 

After  breakfast  one  of  the  priests  took  us  round. 
The  cells  of  the  monks,  their  dining-hall,  carpenter- 
ing and  boot-making  shops,  a  large  store  where 
nearly  everything  could  be  purchased,  horses, 
stables,  and  cowsheds,  were  all  under  the  charge 
of  different  brethren. 

The  houses  are  built  of  whole  trees  and  logs 
placed  one  above  the  other.  A  great  many  samo- 
yedes^  leggings,  caps,  fur-coats,  and  skins  of  animals 
were  displayed  at  the  handelsman,  or  monastery 
store,  and  we  made  various  purchases,  among 
them  several  skins,  and  ladies'  boots  made  of 
beautiful  green  cloth  going  high  up  the  leg. 
No  one  spoke  a  word  of  Enghsh,  French,  or 
German. 

Our  midday  meal  consisted  of  fish  soup,  macaroni 
and  milk,  sour  milk,  salmon,  and  eggs,  and  was 
beautifully  served.  Outside  stood  the  church  with 
its  gold  cross,  blue  domes,  green  steeple,  and  light- 
blue  windows.    It  was  most  picturesque  with  the 


A  RUSSIAN  MONASTERY  171 

snow  on  the  roofs,  and  round  it  a  cemetery  with 
bodies  buried  without  names. 

The  head  of  the  monastery,  the  Archimandrite 
Jonathan,  sent  a  messenger  and  said  he  would 
hke  to  see  us.  We  were  very  pleased  to  make 
his  acquaintance,  and  he  asked  me  to  write  some- 
thing in  his  book.  He  also  presented  me  with 
an  interesting  brochure  in  Russian,  giving  an 
account  of  the  remarkable  history  of  this  Russian 
institution.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  monastery 
exercises  a  beneficial  influence  upon  the  primitive 
Laplander.  On  the  anniversary  of  its  founder's 
death  there  are  great  ceremonies  at  the  monastery, 
when  the  Lapps  for  miles  round  come  and  spend 
three  days  there  at  the  sole  expense  of  the  monks. 

The  neighbouring  Norwegians  take  a  great  and 
increasing  interest  in  the  monastery,  which  for 
them  is  typically  representative  of  everything 
Russian.  In  summer  they  arrive  by  steamer,  in 
winter  by  reindeer.  Guests  of  other  religions  when 
staying  at  the  monastery  attend  the  church  ser- 
vices, and  between  the  hours  of  service  visit  and 
inspect  the  house  and  library  and  make  excursions 
in  the  neighbourhood.  The  crowd  of  departing 
pilgrims  of  various  nationalities  forms  a  Hvely 
sight :  among  them  may  be  seen  a  Russian,  a 
settler,  a  Laplander  clad  in  reindeer  skins,  a  Finn 
and  a  Norwegian  in  their  native  costume  with  a 
square  blue  cap,  made  of  velvet  or  cloth,  resembling 
a  Russian  driver's  cap,  a  short  blue  or  red  em- 
broidered skirt,  and  a  fur  collar  round  the  neck. 

We  were  now  on  the  extreme  western  edge  of 
the  great  Kola  Peninsula.     It  extends  east  and 


172  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

west  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  and  north 
and  south  about  two  hundred  and  seventy-five 
miles,  and  belonged  entirely  to  Russia.  The  climate 
of  the  coast  region — the  Murman  coast,  as  it  is 
called — presents  no  extraordinary  severity.  It  is, 
in  fact,  colder  inland  than  on  the  coast.  Winter 
begins  at  the  end  of  September  and  continues  till 
May.  The  Polar  night  is  from  the  end  of  Novem- 
ber to  the  middle  of  January,  but  the  darkness 
is  not  so  great  as  many  imagine.  The  whiteness 
of  the  snow  gives  a  reflection  and  glimmer  of  light, 
and  the  aurora  borealis  sets  the  heavens  in  a  blaze 
as  with  clouds  of  fire,  turning  night  into  twilight. 
The  Polar  night  means  not  the  total  absence  of 
light,  but  rather  the  season  when  the  sun  no  longer 
appears  above  the  horizon.  The  sun  begins  to 
show  itself  again  about  the  middle  of  January, 
rising  higher  and  higher  every  day ;  from  the 
middle  of  May  to  the  end  of  July  it  never  sets, 
-with  the  result  that  a  new  arrival  loses  all  con- 
ception of  day  and  night. 

Although  the  summer  lasts  but  fifty  days,  grass 
develops  normally  in  the  deep  valleys,  as  well 
as  numerous  berry-bearing  bushes.  In  summer, 
too,  bird  life  flourishes,  and  nearly  two  hundred 
different  varieties  of  birds  may  be  found  on  the 
peninsula.  The  country  is  hilly  and  interspersed 
with  tundras  and  marshes.  The  southern  and 
western  parts  are  covered  with  a  fairly  good  forest, 
mostly  pine.  These  forests  form  an  important 
support  for  the  existence  of  human  beings  and 
animals  inhabiting  this  northern  wilderness,  as 
they  afford  an  opportunity  of  sheltering  against 
cold  and  storms. 


THE  LAPPS— CHARACTERISTICS  173 

The  interior  is  inhabited  only  by  Lapps,  and 
altogether  there  are  now  about  two  thousand  in 
the  district.  They  live  in  small  villages,  con- 
sisting of  six  to  twenty  huts.  They  belong  to  the 
Finnish  race  with  regard  to  their  language  and 
origin ;  and  of  all  nomadic  and  half -settled  tribes 
on  the  globe,  they  rank  the  highest  with  regard 
to  intellectual  and  moral  development.  Being  of 
a  quiet,  meek,  reflective,  and  honest  disposition, 
the  Laplanders  represent  a  very  useful  tribe  in 
the  northern  deserts.  They  form,  thanks  to  their 
knowledge  of  the  locality  and  powers  of  endurance, 
very  trustworthy  guides. 

Some  people  consider  the  Laplander  timid,  even 
cowardly,  but  a  race  that  lives  in  the  midst  of 
rough  Nature  like  this,  swims  daringly  in  stormy 
waters,  fights  with  frosts  and  snowstorms,  and  kills 
bears,  cannot  by  any  means  be  called  timid  or 
cowards.  The  continual  hard  struggle  with  ele- 
mentary Nature  has  made  this  wanderer  in  the 
wilds  very  cautious  and  inofEensively  cunning  for 
self -protection,  yet  without  loss  of  the  more  deUcate 
feelings. 

His  timidity  really  raises  his  human  dignity. 
Violence  makes  his  soul  tremble,  but  he  does  not 
resent  his  wrongs  with  bitterness  ;  he  is  grieved 
rather  than  angry,  is  not  eager  for  revenge,  and 
simply  ignores  the  wrong. 

The  Laplanders  lead  a  semi-nomadic  life,  spending 
the  winter  with  their  reindeer  in  their  parishes  ;  in 
the  summer  they  send  the  reindeer  into  the  tundra 
and  go  themselves  nearer  the  sea  and  lakes. 

The    winter    dwelling    of    the    Lapp — a    small, 


174  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

smoky,  earth-covered  hut — is  called  a  toopa.  It 
consists  of  one  room,  and  is  heated  by  a  small 
stove  with  a  straight  pipe.  The  stove  is  made 
of  freestones  and  is  very  practical ;  it  does  not 
smoke,  heats  the  room  quickly,  ventilates  splen- 
didly, is  good  for  drying  wet  clothes,  heating 
water,  and  cooking.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  they 
were  beginning  to  build  huts  consisting  of  two 
rooms,  in  one  of  which  they  have  a  Russian  stove 
for  baking  black  and  white  bread.  In  the  summer 
they  live  in  tents  or  in  wigwams  made  of  the 
branches  of  trees  and  covered  with  bark.  Their 
food  consists  of  fish,  chiefly  salmon  and  trout,  in 
the  summer,  and  venison  in  the  winter. 

The  usual  opinion  that  the  Lapps  are  of  small 
size,  with  crooked  legs,  long  hands,  black  hair  and 
eyes,  swarthy  complexion,  scanty  moustache  and 
whiskers,  is  incorrect,  for  there  are  to  be  seen 
among  them  faces  of  European  type,  not  a  few 
of  them  being  really  good-looking.  In  winter  they 
wear  a  fur  cap,  a  fur  coat  of  a  special  kind,  trousers, 
and  shoes  with  sharp,  bent-up  toes,  made  of  rein- 
deer-skins with  the  fur  outside.  In  summer  they 
wear  a  knitted  cap  with  a  tassel,  a  blue  woollen 
shirt,  leather  breeches,  and  boots.  In  winter  and 
summer  alike  they  gird  themselves  with  a  leather 
belt,  from  which  hangs  a  long  knife. 

We  had  now  to  think  about  our  return  journey, 
and  I  decided  to  travel  back  by  way  of  Enare 
through  Swedish  Lapland.  We  arrived  at  Kare- 
suando,  a  real,  unspoilt  Lapp  town,  on  the  great 
Muonio  ELf  River,  just  before  Easter.  The  side 
of  the  river  on  which  the  town  stands  belongs  to 


LAPP  CHURCH-GOERS  175 

Sweden,  Russian  territory  commencing  on  the 
other  bank.  The  Lapps  spent  their  Easter  hohday- 
making  and  in  attending  the  reUgious  services. 
Living,  as  a  rule,  far  in  the  interior,  they  can  only 
go  to  church  twice  a  year,  the  first  Sunday  in 
Advent  and  at  Easter. 

After  breakfast  on  Good  Friday  morning  we  put 
on  our  skis  and  went  out  to  watch  the  Lapps 
arriving.  Some  came  in  pulkas,  others  on  skis 
behind  reindeer,  while  still  others  walked.  They 
were  all  dressed  in  their  best  clothes,  and  when 
seated  in  the  church  the  colours  and  different 
blends  of  blue,  red,  and  yellow  on  their  brown  and 
white  paesks  and  coloured  shawls  adorned  with 
silver  ornaments  was  a  sight  not  to  be  forgotten. 
The  church  was  crowded,  several  hundred  Lapps 
attending,  the  men  sitting  on  one  side  and  the 
women  on  the  other.  Many  had  to  sit  on  the 
floor.  Babies  were  there  in  their  reindeer  canoe 
cradles,  and  the  dogs,  of  a  large  Pomeranian  breed, 
were  lying  at  their  masters'  feet  or  running  about 
the  church  and  in  and  out  of  the  door  whenever 
it  was  opened.  At  funerals  and  weddings  dogs 
come  in  with  the  same  freedom,  as  they  are  the 
faithful  friends  of  the  Lapp  and  the  protectors  of 
the  reindeer. 

Although  the  Lapps  religiously  attend  church 
whenever  they  can,  many  of  them,  I  fear,  go 
to  sleep  during  the  services,  a  circumstance  that 
leads  to  a  curious  way  of  collecting  money  for  the 
offering.  A  bag  with  a  bell  attached  is  fastened 
to  the  end  of  a  pole,  and  the  bell  is  shaken  in 
the  ears  of  the  slumberers  to  wake  them  up  to 


176  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

give  their  contributions.  During  the  service  the 
babies  in  the  cradles  are  fed  and  rocked  and  the 
small  children  play  about. 

On  Easter  Sunday  there  was  a  confirmation 
and  many  marriages  and  baptisms.  Weddings 
are  very  gaj^  affairs.  We  saw  four  couples  married 
at  the  same  time,  about  a  hundred  guests  being 
present.  The  brides  were  generally  dressed  in 
red,  with  white  shoes  and  red  gloves,  with  beautiful 
silk  scarves  and  tassels.  The  bridegrooms  wore  a 
very  fine  blue  suit,  which  stood  out  at  the  sides, 
with  white  reindeer  shoes  and  a  square  cap.  No 
dress  at  a  fancy  ball  can  be  more  picturesque  than 
a  Lapp  bridal  dress  in  red,  if  it  were  not  too  hot 
for  the  occasion.  It  is  curious  to  see  the  dogs  go 
up  to  the  altar,  recognizing  their  owners. 

We  took  photographs  of  the  interior  of  the 
church  with  the  dogs  lying  about,  and  in  the 
evening  flashlight  ones  of  the  bride  and  bride- 
groom and  party.  The  banquet  was  at  9  p.m., 
and  reindeer  cream,  marrowbones  of  the  reindeer, 
and  venison  were  the  principal  dishes,  with  hot 
coffee  and  cakes.  Afterwards  the  married  couples 
came  to  our  inn  and  regaled  themselves,  and  then 
at  midnight  started  away  to  the  mountains  in 
reindeer  pulkas  for  a  real  honeymoon,  as  the  moon 
was  full. 

After  a  stay  of  a  week  we  had  regretfully  to 
say  farewell  to  our  Lapp  friends  who  had  been 
so  kind  and  hospitable,  and  proceeded  south  to 
Jukkasjarvi,  and  thence  on  to  Kiruna,  the  end  of 
our  Lapland  tour. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
BIG-GAME  HUNTING  IN  EAST  AFRICA 

The  wilds  and  dangerous  places  of  one  generation 
may  be  the  pla3^grounds  of  the  next.  When  I 
visited  British  East  Africa,  now  called  Kenya 
Colony,  and  Uganda  in  1912  I  found  life  as  safe 
there  as  in  an  English  village,  and  enjoyed  splendid 
sport  in  a  country  of  such  breadth  and  pleasant- 
ness as  might  lead  the  traveller  to  believe  he  had 
left  the  Old  World  with  all  its  worries  and  been 
transported  to  Paradise. 

On  the  voyage  out  to  Mombasa  we  saw  in  the 
Mediterranean  many  troopships  filled  with  Italian 
soldiers  going  to  the  war  in  Tripoli  against  the 
Turks.  In  the  Suez  Canal  the  weather  was  bit- 
terly cold,  but  there  was  a  marked  change  when 
we  reached  the  Red  Sea.  Mr.  Selous,^  the  African 
hunter,  was  a  passenger  on  the  boat,  and  we  were 
fortunate  enough  to  persuade  him  to  tell  us  some- 
thing of  his  wonderful  adventures.  At  Aden  we 
were  boarded  as  usual  by  the  Jews,  who  did  a  good 
trade  in  ostrich  feathers,  bric-a-brac,  and  amber 
stones.     In  bargaining  with  these  "  merchants,"  it 

^  Captain  Selous,  D.S.O.,  was  killed  in  the  war  in  German 
East  Africa. 

m 


178  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

is  a  sound  plan  to  offer  them  a  quarter  of  what  they 
ask  for  their  wares. 

When  the  steamer  reached  Mombasa  I  left  my 
Mannlicher  rifle  and  other  guns  at  the  Custom 
House,  where  the  officials  were  extremely  cour- 
teous and  helpful,  and  in  the  evening  continued 
the  voyage  to  Tanga,  as  I  wished  to  visit  Dar-es- 
Salaam  and  Zanzibar.  At  Tanga,  as  the  tide  was 
low  and  the  sands  very  soft,  two  native  sailors 
carried  me  ashore.  Dr.  Schumacher,  i  well-known 
German  explorer,  who  was  investigating  sleeping- 
sickness  in  the  Lake  Tangan3'ika  country,  showed 
me  around  the  hospital,  where  I  saw  a  man 
who  had  a  few  hours  previously  been  mauled  by 
a  lion. 

Dar-es-Salaam,  the  capital  of  what  was  then 
German  East  Africa,  now  called  Tanganpka 
Territory,  is  laid  out  on  modern  lines,  and  has 
fine  wide  roads  with  avenues  of  trees.  Like 
most  places  near  the  coast,  it  also  has  a  wealth 
of  insect  life — insects  that  fly  and  crawl  and  often 
bite.  It  was  easy  to  notice  in  the  town  the  harsh- 
ness of  the  Germans  in  dealing  with  the  native 
population.  Many  prisoners  were  to  be  seen 
marching  along  the  roads  in  chain  gangs,  and  I 
noticed  that  eight  young  girls  carrying  water  on 
their  heads  in  the  street  were  chained  round  the 
necks  to  each  other.  This  custom  was  a  survival 
of  the  old  Arab  slavery,  and  was  never  used  in 
our  British  Colonies  and  Protectorates.  Visiting 
the  native  Askari  barracks,  I  saw  soldiers  drilling 
with  machine  guns,  but  little  thought  at  the  time 
that  in  less  than  three  years  Germany  in  a  gamble 


.-JUtf     .  .»///tMl^. 


179 


181 


DAR-ES-SALAAM— ZANZIBAR  183 

for  world  power  would  be  using  those  soldiers  to 
defend  the  colonies  she  possessed.  In  the  evenings 
I  went  to  see  the  curious  slow  dancing  of  the  natives 
in  the  villages  ;  the  dancers  followed  each  other 
round  and  round  in  a  circle. 

From  Dar-es-Salaam  I  proceeded  by  the  German 
Government  steamer  Ingani  to  Zanzibar,  a  most 
interesting  island,  and  then  returned  to  Mombasa, 
where  I  collected  my  baggage  and  guns,  took  out 
a  shooting  Hcence,  and  was  pushed  by  natives  in 
a  queer-looking  gharrie  to  the  Hotel  Metropole. 
Strict  game  laws  are  observed  in  British  East 
Africa  and  Uganda.  When  first  these  regions  were 
taken  over  it  was  determined  that  gunners  actuated 
only  by  the  killing  lust  would  not  be  allowed  to 
wander  around  exterminating  the  wild  animals. 
At  the  same  time  the  regulations  as  they  are  framed 
give  the  true  sportsman  permission  to  enjoy  his 
pursuits,  and  at  the  end  of  the  season  to  have  an 
excellent  store  of  heads,  horns,  and  hides.  The 
licences  issued  for  shooting  are  as  follows : 

Sportsman's  licence  . .  . .  750  rupees. 

Resident's  licence  . .  . .  . .  160      ,, 

Traveller's  licence  . .  . .  . .  15      ,, 

Landholder's  licence  . .  . .  45      ,, 

These  are  subject  to  the  following  conditions  as 
to  the  game  which  may  be  killed  : 

Animals  not  to  be  hunted,  killed  or  captured  by  any  person 
except  under  special  licence : 

1.  Elephant. 

2.  Giraffe. 


184  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

3.  Greater  Kudu  bull  (in  the  district  of  Baringo). 

4.  Greater  Kudu  (female). 

5.  BujBFalo  (cow). 

6.  Neumann's  Hartebeest. 

7.  Eland. 

8.  Roan  (female). 

9.  Roan  (male). 

10.  Sable  (female). 

11.  Vulture  (any  species). 

12.  Owl  (any  species). 

13.  Hippopotamus    (in    Lakes    Naivasha,    Elmenteita    and 
Nakuru). 

14.  Fish  Eagle. 

15.  Ostriches. 


Animals  the  females  of  which  are  not  to  be  hunted,  killed 
or  captured  when  accompanying  their  young,  and  the  young 
of  which  are  not  to  be  hunted,  killed  or  captured  except 
under  special  licence  : 

1.  Rhinoceros. 

2.  Hippopotamus, 

3.  Antelopes  and  Gazelles. 

Animals  a  limited  number  of  which  may  be  killed  or  cap- 
tured under  a  sportsman's  or  resident's  licence  : 

Kind  and  number  allowed  : 

Buffalo  (bull),  2  ;  Rhinoceros,  1  ;  Hippopotamus,  except 
as  specially  provided,  2 ;  Eland,  1  ;  Zebra  (Grevy's),  2 ; 
Zebra  (common),  20  ;  Oryx  (Callotis),  2  ;  Oryx  (Beisa),  4  ; 
Waterbuck  (of  each  species),  2  ;  Sable  Antelope  (male),  1  ; 
Roan  Antelope .  (male),  1  ;  Greater  Kudu  (male),  1  ;  Lesser 
Kudu,  4  ;  Topi,  2  ;  Topi  (in  Jubaland,  Tanaland  and  Loita 
Plains),  8  ;  Coke's  Hartebeest,  20  ;  Neumann's  Hartebeest, 
2  ;  Jackson's  Hartebeest,  4  ;  Hunter's  Antelope,  6  ;  Thomas's 
Kob,  4  ;  Bongo,  2  ;  Palla,  4  ;  Situtunga,  2  ;  Wildebeest,  3  ; 
Grant's   Gazelle    (four    varieties — Typicus,    Notata,    Bright's, 


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GAME  AND  GAME  LICENCES 


187 


and  Robertsi),  of  each,  3 ;  Waller's  Gazelle  (Gerenuk),  4 ; 
Harvey's  Duiker,  10  ;  Isaac's  Duiker,  10  ;  Blue  Duiker,  10 ; 
Kirk's  Dik-dik,  10 ;  Guenther's  Dik-dik,  10 ;  Hinde's  Dik- 
dik,  10 ;  Cavendish's  Dik-dik,  10 ;  Abyssinian  Oribi,  10 ; 
Haggard's  Oribi,  10  ;  Kenya  Oribi,  10  ;  "  Suni  "  {Nesotragtis 
moschattis),  10 ;  Klipspringer,  10 ;  Ward's  Reedbuck,  10 ; 
Chanler's,  10  ;  Thomson's  Gazelle,  10  ;  Peter's  Gazelle,  10 ; 
Soemmerring's  Gazelle,  10  ;  Bushbuck,  10  ;  Bushbuck  (Hay- 
wood's), 10  ;  Colobi  Monkeys,  of  each  species,  6  ;  Marabout, 
4 ;  Egret,  of  each  species,  4. 

Animals  a  limited  number  of  which  may  be  killed  or  captured 
under  a  traveller's  licence : 
Zebra,  4. 


The  following  antelopes 

Grant's  Gazelle 
Thomson's  Gazelle 
Jackson's  and  Coke's 

Hartebeest 
Palla 
Reedbuck 
Klipspringer 
Steinbuck 
Wildebeest 
Paa  (Medoqua  and  Neso- 

tragus) 
Oryx  beisa 
Bushbuck 
Waller's  Gazelle 
Topi   (in   Jubaland,   Tana 

land  and  Loita  Plains) 


and  gazelles  only  : 
\ 

Five  animals  in  all,  made  up 
of  a  single  species  or  of  several, 
provided,  however,  that  not 
more  than  one  of  each  of  the 
following  may  be  shot  on  one 
licence  : 

1.  Grant's  Gazelle. 

2.  Palla. 

3.  Wildebeest. 

4.  Oryx  beisa. 

5.  Bushbuck. 

6.  Waller's  Gazelle. 

7.  Topi. 

8.  Jackson's  Hartebeest. 


Mombasa  itself  does  not  impress  one,  except 
the  old  Portuguese  fort  and  Arab  dhows.  It  is  a 
raw,  flat  coast  town,  with  a  variegated  population 
and  more  than  its  share  of  insect  pests.     Life  there 


188  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

is  lively,  but  a  day's  march  into  the  interior  brings 
one  to  the  highlands,  where  the  vast  bulk  of  the 
insects  cease  to  trouble. 

Leaving  Mombasa,  with  its  drawbacks,  I  took 
train  for  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  passing  through  the 
wonderful  game  reserves  on  each  side  of  the  line, 
and  travelHng  with  Sir  Arthur  Lawley  on  a  seat 
in  front  of  the  engine.  Hard  things  have  been 
occasionally  said  about  our  colonial  government, 
but  this  preservation  of  the  fauna  of  East  Africa 
should  atone  for  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  short- 
comings of  our  governors. 

Following  civihzation — or  marching  with  it — 
came  the  railway  and  the  steamboat,  and  at  Port 
Florence  I  embarked  for  Entebbe,  Uganda's 
capital. 

Those  whose  minds  have  been  fed  on  nothing 
but  old  books  of  travel  written  half  or  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago  might  fancy  that  the  man  who 
made  the  trek  I  have  briefly  outlined  passed 
through  a  hard  time,  "  in  perils  oft,"  and,  like 
Grant  and  Speke,  spent  about  six  months  on  the 
journey  !  But  they  would  be  wrong.  The  trip 
right  into  the  heart  of  the  country  was  done  in 
three  days,  the  railway  travelling  being  marvel- 
lously comfortable,  and  at  Port  Florence  the  vessel, 
with  the  tonnage  of  the  average  Channel  steamer 
at  home,  was  fitted  quite  luxuriously  and  offered 
fare  that  one  usually  associates  with  a  good-class 
hotel  in  London. 

At  Jinja,  now  a  station  on  the  Cape  to  Cairo 
air  route,  we  struck  the  Ripon  Falls,  which  are 
formed  by  the  upper  reaches  of  Father  Nile,  and  a 


199 


it 


THE  RIPON  FALLS— CROCODILES  191 

fine  sight  they  provide.  Here  we  were  two  thousand 
miles  from  Cairo,  and  were  not  long  about  getting 
our  rifles  out  and  having  sport  with  the  hippo- 
potami and  crocodiles.  Hippo  is  a  hard  one  to 
kill,  although,  when  he  opens  his  cavernous  mouth 
to  laugh  at  you,  you  have  no  excuse  if  you  do  not 
land  a  bullet  in  the  scarlet  tunnel  that  is  called  his 
throat.  There  is  no  use  in  peppering  his  hide. 
It  is  as  impervious  as  an  inch-thick  iron  target. 
The  crocodile  is  a  different  proposition,  and  you 
may  have  him  as  a  fixed  mark  or  a  moving  target, 
much  like  the  "  running  deer."  He  lies  on  the 
mud  banks  basking  in  the  hot  sun,  covered  with 
mud  and  clay  that  have  baked  hard  upon  him. 
When  after  partridge  or  grouse,  most  men  feel 
more  or  less  compunction  at  one  time  or  other, 
but  never  when  after  "  croc,"  for  one  has  heard 
stories  of  the  depredations  of  these  savage  saurians 
and  of  the  death  toll  levied  by  them  about  the 
river  banks.  Hence,  when  you  search  under  his 
shoulder  with  your  foresight  and  land  your  bullet 
home,  you  feel  some  satisfaction,  and  if  he  makes 
for  the  river  and  you  forestall  him  with  a  ball  in 
the  eye,  that  seldom  fails  to  knock  him  out,  you 
feel  that  you  have  done  a  duty  to  humanity. 

It  is  usual  to  pity  our  fellows  who  hold  our 
farthest  outposts  of  empire.  But  do  not  waste 
pity  on  those  established  at  Entebbe.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  places  I  have 
ever  seen.  There  is  but  one  place  in  the  world  that 
might  claim  superiority  to  it — and  that  is  the  Valley 
of  Kashmir.  It  is  a  small  Eden,  with  a  perfectly 
contented  and  happy  little  population  of  whites; 

9 


192  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

it  is  studded  with  gardens,  has  fine  goK  Hnks,  and 
an  excellent  club-house.  The  whites  who  spend 
their  time  in  this  sunny  Eden  are  not  to  be  pitied, 
but  envied.  Truly  enough,  the  Entebbians  once 
in  a  while  wish  for  a  few  days  of  life  in  the  old 
homeland,  but,  on  the  whole,  they  lavish  much 
commiseration  on  those  who  live  between  the 
upper  and  nether  stones  of  the  great  mill  at  home. 

From  Entebbe  it  is  but  twenty  miles  to  Kam- 
pala, and  the  run,  which  is  full  of  interest,  is  done 
in  style  and  comfort  in  an  easy  ricksha,  the  motive 
power  being  laughing,  "  cavorting "  native  boys, 
who  act  in  relays.  Some  of  them  pull,  others 
shove,  and  from  first  to  last  the  drive  is  made 
merry  by  the  laughter  and  the  songs — mostly 
improvised — of  the  old  slave  days  in  Bagomoyo. 

At  Kampala  I  met  the  young  King  of  Uganda, 
who  differed  from  most  African  potentates  whom 
one  meets.  His  age  was  but  sixteen,  and  he  was 
as  bright  and  intelligent  as  an  Eton  boy  who  has 
not  lost  his  opportunities.  His  education  had  been 
well  looked  after  by  his  English  tutor,  Mr.  J. 
Sturrock,  who  found  an  apt  pupil  who  did  not  shirk 
his  work  and  wished  to  be  taught  everything  his 
tutor  knew.  He  took  a  keen  interest  in  his  sub- 
jects, and  particularly  in  the  work  of  the  Peres 
Blancs,  or  White  Fathers,  who  teach  the  natives 
useful  trades,  including  the  building  of  houses — 
for  which  they  make  their  own  bricks — ^gardening, 
orange  growing,  and  the  propagation  of  cotton  and 
rubber. 

At  Port  Florence  I  chartered  a  six-ton  cutter 
yacht  for  the  purpose  of  having  some  work  among 


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195 


HIPPOPOTAMUS  AND   CROCODILE  197 

the  crocodiles  and  hippopotami.  It  was  exciting 
sport,  and  led  to  many  kills  ;  but  it  is  not  an  under- 
taking to  be  indulged  in  lightly  by  the  nervous 
gunner.  Nothing  seen  for  the  first  time  is  so  much 
calculated  to  make  a  man  "  jumpy  "  as  the  sight 
of  a  bubbling  rise  in  the  water,  followed  by  a  mam- 
moth head  split  in  two  by  an  enormous  mouth, 
and  the  lot  succeeded  by  a  body  like  that  of  a 
ten-year-old  elephant.  "  Hippo  "  may  dive  below 
when  he  sees  your  boat,  or  he  may  be  made  of  the 
stuff  that  induces  him  to  get  in  where  angels  would 
fear  to  tread  ;  and  then  he  simply  gives  a  roar  and 
a  snort  and  makes  for  your  craft  with  wide-open 
mouth,  and  it  is  necessary  to  "  get  him  "  before 
he  eats  half  the  side  out  of  your  boat.  Older 
hands,  who  have  been  hunted  and  know  their  way 
about,  take  a  safer  course — for  themselves — and 
simply  dive  under  yoilr  boat  or  canoe,  come  up 
under  her  like  a  submarine  earthquake,  and  make 
her  turn  turtle.  The  case  of  the  crew  in  such 
circumstances  is  not  an  enviable  one.  Hippo  may 
go  off  with  himseK  laughing  at  his  cleverness,  or  he 
may  develop  spite  and  go  for  as  many  legs  and 
arms  as  he  can  reach.  We  had  exciting  times  with 
the  hippopotamus  and  his  friend  the  crocodile — 
and  the  sport  is  in  itself  sufficient  to  draw  the 
gunner  to  the  East  African  rivers — but  we  escaped 
the  fate  of  many  a  canoe  or  boat  carelessly  handled 
and  manned  by  gunners  nervous  at  the  sight  and 
trigger. 

It  was  while  anchored  off  the  River  Muru  at  six 
o'clock  one  morning  that  I  got  my  first  interesting 
insight  into  native  life.     The  sun  had  just  risen 


198  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

and  the  night  mists  were  being  licked  away,  when 
I  heard  a  tremendous  commotion.  My  Swahili 
boy  put  me  ashore  in  the  dinghy,  armed  with  my 
camera,  and  I  made  my  way  up  to  the  boma  where 
the  commotion  seemed  to  be  manufactured.  On 
the  way  I  met  over  a  score  of  young  girls,  who 
scorned  all  forms  of  dress,  on  their  way  to  the 
lake  to  fetch  water.  My  camera  they  feared,  as 
they  regard  such  an  apparatus  as  a  white  man's 
magic -box  ;  and  they  took  various  means  to  prevent 
me  from  taking  pictures.  However,  my  shutter 
clicked  more  than  once,  and  although  the  grouping 
was  not  what  I  would  have  desired,  I  was  satisfied 
with  my  snapshots.  And  here  let  me  say  that 
although  this  tribe,  the  Kavirondos,  have  never 
worn  any  clothing,  and  although  their  mental 
standard  would  be  put  to  shame  by  that  of  three- 
year-old  British  children,  their  morality  is  extra- 
ordinarily strict,  and  much  higher  than  that  of 
neighbouring  tribes  who  have  dressmakers  and 
tailors  of  sorts. 

At  the  little  boma  of  twelve  huts  I  found  that  a 
funeral  was  in  progress,  and  I  saw  many  mourners 
coming  from  various  directions,  the  men  looking 
true  savage  warriors  with  their  huge  shields  and 
spears,  and  with  nodding  plumes  of  ostrich  feathers 
in  their  head-dresses.  Inside  the  compound  about 
fifty  nude  girls  were  making  lamentation,  standing 
all  the  time  like  statues  on  the  grass  outside  the 
enclosure.  There  was  much  weeping  and  wailing 
on  the  part  of  the  females  while  the  body  was 
committed  to  the  earth  beside  the  hut  in  which 
the  dead  man  had  lived.    A  chief  arrived  riding 


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199 


BIG-GAME   SHOOTING   IN   EAST  AFRICA. 


BULLOCK  WAGGONS  AND  RIDING   HORSE  AND  MULE  READY  TO  START. 

201 


A  NATIVE  FUNERAL— LIONS    <  208 

an  ox — an  animal  that  plays  an  important  part  in 
funerals  and  weddings — and,  dismounting,  allowed 
the  ox  to  roam  about  at  will.  Then,  when  the 
earth  had  been  closed  in,  all  the  warriors  threw 
their  shields  and  spears  on  the  roof  of  the  dead 
man's  hut  and  raced  around  the  boma  in  a  circle 
of  about  half  a  mile  diameter,  shouting  to  frighten 
away  the  evil  spirits  that  these  children  of  nature 
believe  live  in  the  trees  that  surround  the  villages. 
This  tribe  give  their  dead  burial  that  one  might 
describe  as  decent  and  impressive ;  but  their 
neighbours,  the  Kikuyus,  who  live  next  door,  so 
to  speak,  have  a  different  method.  Not  caring 
whether  the  bodies  are  quite  dead  or  not,  they 
throw  them  into  the  bush,  and  leave  them  there 
for  the  hyenas  and  jackals  to  tackle. 

Returning  to  Nairobi  to  fit  out  for  a  short  safari 
expedition,  I  took  train  to  Kyjabe  for  a  lion  hunt, 
and  met  Mr.  H.  B.  Dooner  (now  Major  Dooner, 
M.C.,  D.S.O.),  who  will  be  remembered  by  most 
men  who  have  visited  the  coast.  He  was  the 
Selous  of  the  region,  and  had  a  tally  of  numerous 
lions  to  his  credit.  Our  caravan  consisted  of 
a  waggon  with  a  span  of  eighteen  oxen,  two 
0  ows  and  calves  for  fresh  milk,  twelve  porters 
enlisted  for  gun-carrying  and  beating  up  game, 
an  Arab  cook,  a  Swahili  servant,  and  two  horses. 
Luck  came  to  us  at  once,  since  only  a  mile  from 
the  railway  line  five  lions  had  been  seen  on  the 
previous  day.  Starting  early,  we  divided,  some 
of  our  men  going  along  one  side  and  the  remainder 
along  the  other  of  a  stream  that  was  about  four 
feet  wide.     We  encountered  herds  of  zebra  and 


204  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

many  impala,  kongonis,  giraffes,  hartebeests,  hares, 
partridges,  gazelles,  and  dik-diks.  I  had  heard 
the  term  "  sportsmen's  paradise  "  applied  to  various 
parts  of  the  earth,  but  that  morning  I  realized  that 
I  had  at  last  found  the  region  to  which  the  appel- 
lation properly  belongs.  The  "  boys  "  were  busy 
with  paraffin  tin  and  voice  waking  up  the  fauna 
of  the  district,  and  in  the  early  morning  they  put 
an  end  to  the  sleep  of  sufficient  beasts  and  birds 
to  stock  several  zoological  gardens,  not  forgetting 
whole  tribes  of  large  monkeys  that  sprang  from  tree 
to  tree  jabbering,  and  no  doubt  endeavouring  to  let 
us  know  that  they  regarded  us  as  noisy  roisterers. 

The  lion  is  regarded  as  the  king  of  beasts  and 
the  noblest  specimen  of  the  four-footed  tribes. 
But  those  who  have  been  after  him  have  a  different 
opinion.  In  fact,  the  "  king "  has  habits  that 
would  make  a  militant  suffragette  grit  her  teeth 
and  provide  her  with  some  telling  facts  for  lecture 
purposes.  He  sallies  out  at  night  accompanied  by 
his  wife,  and  he  sends  her  off  to  growl  and  roar 
and  frighten  game  into  his  jaws.  He  gets  the 
lion's  share,  she  gets  the  lioness's,  and  when  he  has 
satisfied  his  appetite  he  does  an  immense  amount 
of  roaring  and  bragging  about  his  prowess.  If 
the  pair  have  the  misfortune  to  fall  across  gunners 
and  the  lioness  is  first  shot,  the  king  of  beasts, 
her  husband,  bolts  and  tries  to  get  away.  If  the 
lion  is  first  hit,  the  lioness  makes  herself  very 
nasty  and  rushes  to  her  death  to  avenge  him. 

Having  beaten  the  Kedong  River  banks  for  two 
hours,  a  fine  lioness  jumped  out  of  the  reeds  and 
bush  about  six  feet  from  me,  having  first  emitted 


ON   SAFARI. 


[Photo  by  Author. 
ENCAMPMENT   NEAR   A    LAKE,   KEDONG   VALLEY,   EAST  AFRICA. 


^.^P^ 


MY  WHITE    HUNTER,   MAJOR   DOONKR,   M.C.,    D.S.O.,   WITH   AUTHOR   AND   BEATERS, 
AT  THE   CLOSE   OF   A   LION    HUNT   IN    LITTLE   KEDONG   RIVER. 


205 


A  LION-HUNT  207 

a  loud  growl  that  served  as  a  useful  warning.  I 
fired  and  wounded  her,  when  she  prepared  to 
charge,  lashing  her  sides  with  her  tail.  Luckily, 
Mr.  Guy,  Mr.  Dooner's  partner,  was  at  the  ready, 
and  his  rifle  laid  her  low  for  a  short  time,  after 
which  she  recovered  and  sprang  from  bush  to 
bush  growling.  Spooring  her,  I  followed,  and  with 
a  third  shot  from  my  Mannlicher  finished  her. 

When  the  beast  was  skinned  the  natives  took 
the  kidneys  and  tongue,  and  I  salved  the  floating- 
bone,  like  a  wish-bone  in  a  fowl,  as  a  mascot. 
Monkeys  in  the  trees  seemed  to  have  been  much 
pleased  with  the  noise  of  our  sport.  After  lunch 
we  went  after  the  other  four  lions,  but  they  had 
gone  farther  up  the  river. 

We  formed  camp,  and  for  three  weeks  lions  came 
close  to  us,  hoping  to  pick  up  our  oxen.  The 
hunting  of  Leo  being  rather  a  serious  business,  and 
one  requiring  strict  precautions,  we  had  our  fires 
lighted  and  hurricane  lamps  hung  up  an  hour 
before  dark,  and  kept  them  going  until  daylight. 
It  is  not  difficult  as  a  rule  to  know  when  lions  are 
about,  as  they  make  their  presence  audible.  Away 
in  the  soft,  velvety  darkness  under  the  stars  you 
hear  a  "  woof -woof,"  answered  from  various 
points  of  the  compass  by  other  "  woofs."  It  is 
then  time  to  see  to  it  that  the  boys  have  the  fires 
going ;  otherwise  the  utterers  of  the  "  woofs " 
will  likely  enough  smell  you  out  and  make  things 
uncomfortable,  although,  as  a  rule,  it  is  only  the 
toothless  old  lion  who  will  attack  a  man,  not 
having  the  old-time  agility  to  knock  over  more 
sprightly  game. 


208  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

We  were  not  idle  during  this  safari,  the  best 
and  most  restful  of  holidays  that  could  be  imagined. 
We  bagged  many  excellent  trophies,  and  were  kept 
busy  as  taxidermists.  We  could  have  gone  on  all 
the  time  slaying  the  denizens  of  bush  and  veldt, 
but,  having  satisfied  ourselves  with  the  spoils  we 
had,  we  killed  only  for  the  pot.  The  country 
abounds  with  game  of  all  kinds,  including  the 
elephant  and  the  buffalo  and  the  other  specimens  I 
have  already  mentioned. 

Nothing  in  the  world  could  be  more  enjoyable 
than  this  life  au  grand  air.  The  freedom  and  soli- 
tude of  camping  by  lake  or  stream  and  the  fine  air 
one  breathes  make  one  feel  that  life  is  really 
worth  living.  All  through  the  day  there  is  some 
sound  of  nature  in  the  air,  and  at  night  the  sinister 
growls  and  roars  and  laughs  of  savage  beasts. 
Meals  are  a  delight,  with  game  which  has  fallen 
to  your  own  gun  furnishing  the  chief  dishes.  The 
servant  problem  does  not  trouble ;  they  can  be 
had  by  the  hundred  if  required.  When  you  have 
written  letters  at  a  table  improvised  out  of  a 
chop-box  or  case  of  wine,  your  own  postman  runs 
with  the  letters  at  the  end  of  a  cleft  stick  to  the 
nearest  village. 

On  our  return  journey  to  Kijabe  we  came  across 
another  safari  encampment,  where  we  found  two 
ladies,  Mrs.  Turner-Farley  and  her  daughter,  in  the 
party.  We  learned  that  several  of  their  ponies  had 
been  carried  off  by  lions,  and,  pitching  our  camp, 
with  permission,  close  by,  we  arranged  a  hunt. 
Miss  Turner-Farley,  who  was  just  out  of  her  teens, 
was  an  excellent  shot,  and  looked  very  sportsman- 


209 


211 


LIONS— GERMAN  EAST  AFRICA  218 

like  in  her  khaki  hunting  costume.  They  had  a 
black  hunter,  Agika,  a  Swahili,  who  showed  him- 
self very  skilful  (as  may  be  seen  from  the  illustra- 
tion) in  fixing  up  a  platform  of  poles  and  leaves 
in  the  tree  where  we  were  to  station  ourselves 
for  the  night.  In  the  afternoon  we  shot  a  zebra, 
and  harnessed  two  oxen  to  drag  it  along  the  ground, 
with  the  hope  that  lions  would  later  follow  the 
scent.  At  seven  o'clock  we  went  up  to  our  post, 
taking  with  us  a  nice  supper,  some  Melnotte  1900 
champagne,  and  plenty  of  blankets,  as  it  becomes 
very  cold  in  the  early  morning.  At  11  p.m.  we 
heard  the  first  growl  of  a  lion,  but  nothing  came 
of  it,  as  he  would  not  approach  the  bait.  At  two 
in  the  morning  we  were  disturbed  by  an  enormous 
eagle,  which  swooped  down  on  our  platform,  thinking 
it  was  a  nest.  During  the  remainder  of  the  hours 
of  darkness  we  heard  hyenas  barking  and  sometimes 
a  distant  roar,  but  no  lion  was  seen.  I  finished 
my  trip  with  the  skin  of  only  one  lioness  among 
my  trophies,  but  many  residents  and  sportsmen 
never  get  a  shot  at  a  lion  at  all,  so  I  was  not  dis- 
appointed with  my  luck. 

I  sailed  for  home  from  Kilindini  by  the  steamer 
General,  an  anti-rolling  ship  of  8,500  tons,  but  made 
the  journey  from  Suez  to  Cairo  overland,  and 
camped  imder  the  Pyramids  by  moonhght. 

East  Africa  came  prominently  into  the  World 
War,  and  the  Germans  have  lost  their  footing  in 
a  great  country.  German  East  Africa  now  belongs 
to  the  British  Empire,  much,  I  am  sure,  to  its  benefit 
and  the  happiness  of  its  native  races. 

Uganda   and   British   East   Africa   are   not   yet 


214  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

hackneyed  as  hunting-grounds,  but,  with  a  restora- 
tion in  coming  years  of  facilities  for  travel  and 
the  stories  told  by  returning  sportsmen,  are  bound 
to  attract  many  guns  in  the  future.  And  not  alone 
guns,  but  cameras.  Interesting  in  the  extreme 
are  the  albums  that  contain  one's  snapshots,  which 
entertain  the  non-travelled  friend  and  carry  one 
back  in  imagination  over  the  thousands  of  miles 
by  land  and  sea  travelled  to  reach  the  Mecca  of 
the  sportsman. 

A  white  man's  country  is  this  possession  of  ours 
to  the  east  of  the  Dark  Continent,  peopled — as 
yet  sparsely,  it  is  true — by  splendid  sets  of  young 
fellows,  most  of  them  from  our  public  schools,  and 
by  many  retired  officers  of  the  Services,  none  of 
whom  would  exchange  the  country  of  their  adop- 
tion for  the  allurements  of  London  or  Paris.  There 
are  climates  to  suit  all,  too,  from  the  crisp  air  of 
the  snow-clad  mountains  20,000  feet  high  to  the 
lower-lying  regions  where  the  fireflies  dance  by 
night  and  the  coco-nut  trees  flourish.  Money 
spent  on  the  development  of  the  region  will  repay 
itself  with  compound  interest. 


215 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   WORLD  AT  WAR 

The  World  War  came  upon  most  of  us  like  a  "  bolt 
from  the  blue."  The  majority  of  Englishmen  had 
distrusted  Germany,  and  had  vaguely  felt  that 
Teutonic  ambitions  menaced  the  peace  of  Europe ; 
but  in  the  spring  and  even  the  early  summer  of 
1914  the  peril  did  not  seem  to  be  appreciably 
nearer.  Before  the  British  ultimatum  was  sent  to 
the  German  Government,  I  motored  to  the  Royal 
Thames  Yacht  Club  off  Stokes  Bay  Pier  to  see  the 
Fleet,  and  I  was  invited  by  an  officer  of  the  new 
cruiser  Princess  Royal  to  go  on  board  and  spend  the 
night.  On  an  evening  of  wind  and  rain  I  went  out 
in  the  ship's  pinnace  from  Portsmouth,  and  after 
an  introduction  to  other  officers  in  the  ward-room, 
I  turned  into  my  berth.  Suddenly  there  came  a 
knock  at  the  cabin  door,  and  I  was  told  that  on 
the  Captain's  orders  I  must  go  ashore.  I  won- 
dered for  the  moment  what  could  be  wrong,  and 
had  ideas  of  trouble  in  Ireland ;  but  I  put  my 
things  together  hurriedly,  jumped  into  the  pinnace 
again,  and  after  being  landed  at  Southsea  was 
lucky  enough  to  get  a  room  at  the  Queen's  Hotel. 
The  next  morning  I  learned  how  matters  stood, 

£17 


218  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

and     saw    the     Fleet    sail    for    some    unknown 
destination. 

The  outbreak  of  war  disorganized  business  very 
much.  All  the  younger  members  of  the  staff  of 
my  firm  volunteered  for  service,  and  we  promised 
them  half  their  salaries  for  the  duration  of  hostili- 
ties. The  firm  had  quantities  of  wine  lying,  paid 
for,  in  Reims,  Epernay,  Boulogne,  and  Calais,  and 
on  September  18th  I  crossed  via  Folkestone  for 
Paris.  There  were  only  two  first-class  passengers 
on  board,  Mr.  Gregg-Carr  and  myself.  Crossing 
the  Channel,  we  saw  two  British  cruisers  and 
many  torpedo-boats  and  submarines.  At  Calais 
we  noticed  about  two  hundred  locomotives,  many 
of  them  from  Belgium,  collected  together  for 
safety.  In  the  town  there  were  only  old  men, 
women,  and  children.  The  able-bodied  male 
population  had  been  mobilized.  I  noticed  soldiers 
reading  the  war  news  and  the  proclamation  of 
the  war,  and  was  reminded  how,  in  1870,  when 
I  was  a  boy  of  fifteen,  I  had  seen  the  same  thing 
during  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 

The  journey  from  Calais  to  Paris  occupied  seven 
hours.  The  tunnel  at  Amiens  had  been  blocked 
by  the  French  with  old  engines  and  other  rolling 
stock  to  check  the  German  rush,  and  we  had  to 
make  a  detour  by  a  branch  line.  Outside  Paris 
many  trees  had  been  cut  down  and  trenches  dug. 
I  stayed  at  the  Grand  Hotel,  and  found  the  city 
like  London  on  a  Sunday.  The  Government  had 
already  left  for  Bordeaux.  Cafes  closed  at  8  p.m., 
and  restaurants  at  9.30.  Searchlights  flashed 
at    night    from     the    roof    of    the    Automobile 


[P/iot'i  by  Author. 
THE   RAILWAY   STATION   AT   SENLIS,    BURNT   DOWN    BY   FIRE   DURING   THE 
GERMAN   OCCUPATION.      SEPTEMBER    19I4. 


RUINS   AT   SENLIS.      SEPTEMBER    I914. 
219 


IPhoto  by  Author. 
THE    PROPKIETOK   OF  THE   CHARCUTEKIE   SHOWING   THE    DESTRUCTION  OF   HIS 
HOUSE   BY   FIRE.      SEXLIS,   SEPTEMBER    I9I4. 


iPhoto  by  Author. 


SENLIS,   SEPTEMBER    I914. 


<In  this  town  the  Mayor  and  six  of  his  fellow-citizens  were  shot  by  the  Germans  on  the 
pretence  that  the  inhabitants  had  fired  on  them.) 

221 


PARIS   IN  DANGER  228 

Club  in  the  Place  de  la  Concorde.  My  hotel  was 
almost  empty,  except  for  a  few  English  officers. 
Impressions  recorded  at  the  moment  in  such  a 
time  may  be  of  value,  and  I  propose  to  quote 
freely  from  my  diaries  concerning  this  and  other 
visits  I  paid  to  France  in  the  great  but  terrible 
years  which  preceded  victory  : 

Monday,  September  21,  1914. — Left  Paris  for  Senlis,  Here 
the  mayor  and  six  inhabitants  were  shot  by  the  Germans, 
who  said  the  civilians  had  shot  German  soldiers.  Took 
photographs  of  the  railway  station  and  town  in  ruins,  and 
also  of  the  proprietor  of  the  charcuterie,  whose  house  and 
shop  were  destroyed.  Went  on  to  Crepy-en-Valois  and  heard 
heavy  artillery  firing  at  Soissons  and  Noyon.  Returned  to 
Paris  and  sent  wire  to  London.  Had  to  get  a  visa  from  the 
police  to  send  telegrams. 

September  22nd. — Drove  round  Paris,  All  shops  closed 
in  Rue  de  la  Paix.  At  Port  Maillot,  by  the  Bois  de  Boulogne, 
saw  soldiers  cutting  down  trees,  erecting  barricades  of  rails 
and  sandbags,  and  making  trenches.  Lunched  at  Maxim's. 
There  was  a  notice  on  the  wall  that  all  must  leave  at  9.30  p.m. 
In  the  Bois  observed  about  thirty  thousand  oxen  and  sheep, 
and  at  Longchamps  much  hay  was  stacked.  The  animals 
had  trampled  down  all  grass,  and  the  ground  was  like  a 
quagmire  after  the  rain.  Madame  Bouchet  dined  with  me 
at  the  Cafe  de  la  Paix  ;  her  husband  is  one  of  the  well-known 
surgeons  in  Paris,  and  is  at  the  front, 

September  26th. — Left  Paris  7  a.m.  for  Epernay.  Lagny 
bridge  was  destroyed,  so  had  to  go  by  Sezanne  and  Chalons- 
sur-Marne.  Waited  two  hours  at  Fere-Champenoise,  where 
the  big  battle  was  fought,  and  went  over  the  battlefields. 
There  were  many  graves,  and  the  fields  were  strewn  with 
helmets,  pouches,  coats,  cartridges,  and  baskets  for  shells. 
Outside  the  station  hundreds  of  empty  wine -bottles,  which 
the  Germans  had  taken  from  the  houses  in  the  villages,  were 
lying  about.  It  was  near  here  that  Attila,  the  Hun,  fought 
against  the  Romans  and  was  defeated. 


224  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Arrived  Chalons  and  slept  on  a  bench  in  the  hotel,  as  I 
could  not  get  a  room  anywhere.  All  houses  were  closed  at 
8  p.m.,  and  the  people  were  scared  if  you  knocked. 

September  25th. — Took  train  Epernay  8  a.m.,  and  hired  a 
motor-car — a  Renault,  15  h.p. — for  Reims.  Crossed  wooden 
bridge,  as  stone  bridge  was  destroyed.  People  were  returning 
to  Reims  in  wagons,  pushing  perambulators  and  driving  goats. 
Many  children  walked.  The  Germans  had  been  driven  back 
behind  the  River  Marne  and  Reims.  Had  no  laissez-passer, 
but  the  driver  had  one  for  four  persons.  Beautiful  day  and 
drive.  Roads  were  good,  but  crowded.  Cavalry  and  artil- 
lery took  the  near  side,  and  motor-cars  travelled  and  infantry 
marched  in  the  middle.  Guns  were  booming  in  the  distance. 
Lunched  at  Hotel  du  Lion  d'Or,  opposite  cathedral.  The 
cathedral  was  burnt  on  September  19th,  2  p.m.,  by  the  enemy 
as  a  revenge  for  their  defeat.  Chatted  at  bridge  by  the  canal 
with  the  soldiers — 107th  Regiment  from  Angouleme  and  the 
Cognac  district.  I  gave  them  tobacco,  and  they  gave  me 
some  pain  d'ipice  (gingerbread),  which  they  carry  with  them. 
Posted  letters  for  them  in  Paris  when  I  returned.  Passed 
regiments  of  8th  and  21st  Dragoons.  People  were  frightened 
the  Germans  would  return,  as  this  was  the  ninth  day  of  battle 
and  there  was  no  change  in  the  position.  The  Germans  were 
at  Cernay  and  the  French  at  La  Jouissance.  Women  listened 
anxiously  outside  their  houses  to  the  guns. 

Returning  to  Epernay  I  called  on  the  mayor,  M.  Pol  Roger, 
whom  the  Germans  were  going  to  shoot,  as  they  said  he  had 
cut  off  the  gas  and  electricity.  When  the  enemy  left  the 
town,  however,  they  gave  M.  Roger  back  the  fine  they  had 
levied,  as  a  French  doctor  had  attended  a  German  general. 
The  champagne  in  Epernay  was  all  safe,  and  untouched  by 
the  Germans.  Vines  very  healthy,  and  promised  a  good 
vintage.  Many  vintners  were  arriving  from  the  north  of 
France  and  Belgium  to  help  in  cutting  the  grapes.  A  reason 
why  the  vineyards  had  escaped  destruction  could  be  found 
in  the  belief  of  the  enemy  that  the  country  was  theirs  for 
ever.  Stayed  with  M.  Edouard  Boizel.  Provisions  scarce, 
and  no   butter,   tobacco,   cigars,   or  cigarettes.     The   Boches 


225 


EPERNAY— REIMS  227 

took  everything  when  they  went.  The  inhabitants  were 
dependent  on  the  soldiers  for  a  distribution  of  bread  {pain  de 
la  guerre)  ;  the  ration  was  determined  according  to  size  of 
family. 

Visited  the  wounded  in  Epernay  railway  station.  Saw 
many  Senegal  and  North  African  black  troops.  Slightly 
wounded  managed  to  walk  from  Reims,  and  the  people  in 
Epernay  crowded  round  them  to  hear  the  latest  news.  Got 
laissez-passer  to  go  to  Reims  with  Ernest  Goubault  from  the 
mayor  of  Epernay,  but  could  not  get  the  use  of  the  car  I 
had  hired,  as  the  driver  was  frightened  he  would  have  it 
commandeered. 

Saturday,  September  2&th. — Left  M.  Edouard  Boizel's,  and 
outside  his  house  in  the  Square  I  asked  a  French  officer  if  I 
could  go  with  his  transport  of  food  to  Montchenot,  not  far 
from  Reims.  He  very  kindly  said  I  might  ride  in  the  omnibus, 
which  proved  to  be  a  comfortable  vehicle.  The  drive  through 
the  vineyards,  where  the  vintage  had  just  begun,  was  very 
pleasant.  It  was  necessary  to  get  the  commandant  to  sign 
my  laissez-passer,  as  the  military  had  stopped  all  civilians 
going  to  Reims.  Went  right  through  to  the  base,  and 
thanked  the  officers  for  their  hospitality.  Arriving  at  the 
colline,  or  hill,  close  by,  had  a  magnificent  view  of  the  country 
all  round  and  the  cathedral  of  Reims  in  the  distance  with 
my  Zeiss  glasses.  Got  into  the  middle  of  the  battle  without 
knowing  it.  Aeroplanes  swam  in  the  sky,  and  regiments  of 
dragoons  and  cuirasseurs  passed  me,  with  shields  and  breast- 
plates glittering  in  the  sun,  though  helmets  had  been  covered 
with  khaki.  The  scene  was  reminiscent  of  the  old  pictures  one 
saw  of  the  Battle  of  Waterloo.  Chatted  with  officers  and  men 
and  lent  them  my  glasses.  A  French  officer  asked  me  for 
my  laissez-passer,  and  I  showed  him  my  papers — passport, 
railway  return  ticket,  and  pilot  certificate  of  the  Aero  Club 
of  France — and  he  felt  satisfied  I  was  not  a  spy.  Sat  on  the 
hill  a  long  time,  and  the  officer  had  lunch  with  me.  Saw 
artillery  and  munition  carts  arrive,  and  the  horses  put  under 
cover  in  the  woods.  At  2  p.m.  met  Mr.  Lamb,  of  the  Daily 
Mail  or  Daily  Mirror^  walking  with  two  Frenchmen,  one  a 


228  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

vineyard  proprietor,  to  Reims.  I  joined  the  party  and 
walked  the  10  kilometres  with  them.  As  we  approached 
the  city,  shells  came  nearer,  and  we  could  see  them  bursting 
and  hear  the  shrieking  noise,  like  that  of  a  rocket. 

Sat  on  a  hill  near  a  haystack  with  the  people  who  had 
come  out  of  Reims  and  watched  the  battle.  Here  we 
remained  till  sunset,  and  then  went  on  with  the  other  people 
to  the  city. 

Our  vineyard  proprietor  knew  of  a  house  out  of  shell  range, 
and  I  got  nice  rooms  with  Madame  Lion,  39  Rue  Buirette, 
who  prepared  a  welcome  dinner  of  pot-au-feu  and  boeuf  d,  la 
mode,  with  carrots  and  potatoes.  We  also  had  some  good 
wine.  Went  to  bed  dead  tired,  and  woke  up  Sunday,  Sep- 
tember 27th,  with  the  booming  of  cannon  in  my  ears.  Walked 
to  the  cathedral,  which  can  be  restored  ;  stained  glass,  blue 
and  crimson  and  scarlet,  lay  about  the  floor,  and  straw  had 
been  spread  all  over  the  place  for  the  use  of  wounded  German 
troops.  Some  of  these  men  left  behind  were  burned  as  a 
result  of  enemy  shelling,  which  set  fire  to  the  roof  and  scaffold- 
ing of  the  tower.  I  returned  to  breakfast  at  Madame  Lion's. 
The  battle  was  still  raging,  but  Mademoiselle  Lion  played 
the  violin  and  Mr.  Lamb  the  piano  after  our  meal.  Went 
to  the  Abbe,  Monsignor  Landrieux,  Vicaire-Generale,  Cur^ 
de  la  Cathedrale,  for  a  pass  to  see  the  cathedral,  which  was 
now  guarded  by  soldiers. 

Monday,  September  28th. — Before  breakfast  went  to  the 
cathedral,  and  one  of  the  foreman  workmen  took  me  up  to 
the  top  of  the  tower.  A  Red  Cross  flag  was  flying  on  the 
mast.  Three  hundred  and  twenty-four  steps  to  the  top. 
I  found  there  beds  and  mattresses,  telephones,  electric  lights, 
and  bottles  of  Moet  et  Chandon,  White  Star  label,  left  by  the 
Germans.  We  both  kept  our  heads  down,  so  that  no  one 
could  see  us,  as  they  might  think  we  were  observing.  Had  a 
splendid  view  below  of  the  French  artillery  firing.  I  could 
see  the  flashes  of  fire  from  the  shells,  and  also  the  Germans 
deep  in  the  trenches  in  the  woods.  Lunched  at  the  Lion 
d'Or,  and  met  the  Hon.  E.  Stonor,  of  the  Fljdng  Corps,  and 
his  stepson,  Lieutenant  Ralli,  of    the   Jiieh.  Guards.     Went 


\_rhoto  by  Autfior. 


REIMS,    I914.      TREXCHES   IN   CHAMPAGNE   CELLARS. 


^ 


\^ 


X^^ 


IN   THE   CELLARS  OF   G.    H.    MUMM,    REIMS. 

Bedstead  and  wardrobe  and  furniture  of  the  chef  dis  caves.  M.  Robinet,  M.  Mazzuchi. 
M.  Ernest  Gorbault  and  brother,  the  governess  and  children,  and  the  author  singing  a  hymn 
of  hate  to  Guillaume  II. 

229 


IN  THE  CHAMPAGNE  CELLARS  231 

to  some  of  the  champagne  cellars,  and  gave  them  six  bottles 
to  take  back  to  General  French's  headquarters  as  a  souvenir 
of  their  visit.  At  night-time  the  caves,  far  in  the  chalk,  are 
inhabited  by  the  people,  men,  women,  and  children.  There 
is  no  butter  or  milk  for  the  babies.  Reims  is  like  a  pivot, 
and  has  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  war.  A  police  notice,  dis- 
played at  the  Hotel  de  Ville  on  September  21,  1914,  read  : 
"  Circulation  8  p.m.  to  5  a.m.  prohibited.  All  lights  out 
at  9  p.m.,  cafes  close  7  p.m.  Any  one  pillaging  houses  will 
be  shot. — Mairie  de  Reims."  Visited  M.  Robinet  and  M.  and 
Madame  Mazzuchi  at  G.  H.  Mumm's,  Rue  de  Mars.  Mumm 
is  a  prisoner  at  Angers,  and  the  other  brother  is  fighting  in 
the  German  Army.  Came  across  Stanford,  of  Pommery's, 
and  visited  M.  Baudet  at  Pommery's  ;  the  Polignac  family 
are  all  mobilized.  Met  General  Allenby  (now  Lord  Allenby), 
of  the  cavalry  division,  Captain  Barrow,  Captain  Baddely, 
K.  Waldenstrom  (Swedish  interpreter,  Intelligence  Depart- 
ment), Captain  H.  Stewart,  A.D.C.,  Dr.  Pellew,  and  Captain 
Carr  (21st  Lancers),  and  also  Mr.  Frederick  Coleman,  a  member 
of  the  Royal  Automobile  Club,  driving  General  de  Lisle  and 
two  officers.  Enormous  "  Black  Marias  "  came  into  Pommery's 
cellars — about  100  feet  from  us,  so  we  had  to  descend  into 
the  caves.  The*  cellar  staff  sleep  on  straw  and  are  much 
frightened  by  the  terrific  noise  on  the  masonry.  Had  tea 
with  M.  and  Madame  Paccini  and  their  little  white  terrier 
dog — with  the  aid  of  petrol  lamps.  Sat  on  a  seat  in  the  sun 
with  Madame  to  get  some  fresh  air,  but  more  shells  came, 
and  we  had  to  descend  again.  At  7  p.m.  the  Germans  sent  a 
shell  into  the  artillery  park  which  fired  the  caserne,  and 
millions  of  blank  cartridges  went  off  like  a  display  of  fireworks  ; 
the  noise  was  like  that  of  a  mitrailleuse. 

Wednesday,  September  20ih. — Lunched  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mazzuchi,  and  met  M.  Robinet  and  his  sisters.  M.  Mazzuchi 
is  the  Italian  Consul,  and  M.  Robinet  Swedish  Consul.  They 
had  their  respective  flags  flying  in  Reims.  Many  wounded 
German  soldiers  were  accommodated  in  the  cellars  at  G.  H. 
Mumm's — commandeered  by  the  French  Government — and 
also  in  the  cellars  of  Giesler  &  Co.,  at  Avize — the  only  two 

10 


282  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

German  houses.  Mrs.  Mazzuchi  and  her  two  daughters,  aged 
twelve  and  fourteen,  looked  very  pretty  in  their  white 
nursing  uniform.  They  were  attending  to  the  dying  Germans. 
One  Prussian  I  saw  had  a  wife  and  four  children  ;  he  died 
next  day. 

Thursday,  October  \st. — Went  to  Lanson's,  whose  house 
was  destroyed,  and  tasted  the  1911  champagne,  which  I 
found  excellent.  Met  Frederick  Coleman,  who  had  a  touch  of 
fever,  and  stayed  the  night  at  the  Lion  d'Or.  Gave  Coleman 
two  cases  of  champagne  for  General  Allenby  and  General  de 
Lisle's  headquarters.  Lovely  moonlight  night.  My  bedroom 
faces  the  cathedral,  and  when  the  great  edifice  throws  heavy 
shadows  it  has  almost  a  wistful  grandeur. 

Friday,  October  2nd. — Visited  M.  Lewthwaite — partner  in 
Heidsieck's  Dry  Monopole.  There  were  barricades  across 
the  roads  to  prevent  Uhlans  coming  in.  Lunched  with 
Madame  Tassigny.  Both  Mr.  Lewthwaite  (an  Englishman) 
and  M.  Tassigny  were  taken  as  hostages  by  the  Germans. 

Saturday,  October  3rd. — Called  at  Pommery's — Prince  Arthur 
of  Connaught  was  visiting  the  ruins  of  the  house.  A  large 
hole  in  the  middle  of  the  street  made  motor-driving  dangerous. 
The  French  call  the  big  shells  "  Grand  Marmite  "  and  the 
small  shells  "  Petite  Marmite."  Called  at  the  Maison  Clicquot, 
Wehrle,  where  the  offices  were  in  cellars,  and  tasted  1911 
vintage.  Also  saw  Messrs.  Buinart's  cellars,  close  to  Pom- 
mery's. The  enemy  attacked  in  the  night.  I  was  all  alone 
in  the  hotel,  but  a  nice  wood-fire  burned  in  the  salon.  Won- 
dered what  the  inhabitants  in  their  cellars  thought  of  it. 
These  people,  going  out  of  the  city  early  in  the  morning  and 
returning  in  the  evening  to  their  shelters,  remind  one  of  rooks. 

Sunday,  October  4th. — The  night  attack  lasted  from  2  a.m. 
till  4  a.m.,  but  the  Germans  are  four  miles  away  and  cannot 
get  into  Reims.  It  is  a  curious  experience  being  in  a  bom- 
barded town.  No  lights  can  be  shown  after  8  p.m.,  and  no 
one  can  go  out  without  the  risk  of  being  shot.  Went  to  the 
English-French  Protestant  Church,  held  in  Krug's  cellars. 
Visited  cathedral  again  ;  for  the  second  time  in  history  it 
has    been    burnt.     Tower    now    is    strictly    closed — no    one 


233 


REIMS  BOMBARDED  235 

allowed  up.  The  two  organs,  the  paintings,  and  most  of  the 
glass  has  not  been  touched.  The  clock  and  statue  of  St. 
Peter  and  the  crucifix  and  pulpit  can  be  restored  if  the 
Germans  cease  bombarding.  Met  some  R.A.C.  drivers,  and 
went  for  a  walk  to  the  Avenue  du  Laon,  where  I  saw  artillery 
horses  and  a  battery  in  abri  shelter,  ready  to  move  on,  in  woods 
near  the  cemetery.  Many  graves  and  vaults  in  the  cemetery 
had  been  opened  and  cracked  by  shells.  Went  to  Reims 
Club  and  met  M.  Farre  and  M.  Irroy. 

Asked  Julius  Price,  of  the  Illustrated  London  News,  to  dine 
with  me  at  the  Lion  d'Or  and  to  sleep  at  the  hotel,  as  he 
could  not  get  back  to  his  hotel  after  dark.  Shells  shrieked 
over  the  city  all  through  the  night,  so  slept  in  cellars  with 
most  of  the  hotel  staff.  Julius  Price  made  many  sketches, 
including  some  of  the  rats  sitting  or  standing  up  at  the  bottom 
of  my  shakedown  on  a  mattress  and  blankets.  Could  not 
sleep  owing  to  the  rats  looking  at  me,  and  eventually  went 
up  to  my  room.  Shells  were  still  bursting,  however,  and  I 
had  to  descend  again  to  the  cellars.  I  have  never  met  any- 
one who  likes  shells  and  bombs  in  a  town.  The  explosions 
make  one  feel  so  helpless,  and  it  is  difficult  to  know  which 
way  to  go  for  safety.  In  the  open,  soldiers  can  judge  by  the 
sound  of  an  approaching  projectile  where  it  will  fall.  In  the 
soft  wet  ground,  shells  when  they  burst  throw  up  black  smoke. 
Every  day  enemy  Taubes  and  our  aeroplanes  have  been  flying 
about  ;  the  shots  which  pursue  them  look  like  cigarette  smoke 
forming  round  rings  up  in  the  air. 

Wednesday,  October  1th. — Went  to  see  the  vintage  and  the 
pressing  of  the  grapes.  After  a  stay  in  Epernay  and  Paris, 
returned  home  by  Paris,  Calais,  and  Folkestone  ;  travelled 
with  Mr.  Beach  Thomas  (now  Sir  Beach  Thomas),  war 
correspondent  of  the  Daily  Mail,  in  the  train. 


CHAPTER  X 
THE  WORLD  AT   M^AB.— Continued 

My  second  visit  to  France  during  the  years  of  war 
was  in  the  autumn  of  1915,  and  its  chief  purpose 
was  the  business  one  of  seeing  the  champagne 
vintage.  Travelling  had  become  a  matter  of  some 
difficulty  by  then,  and  was  governed  by  many 
regulations.  Before  my  passport  could  be  put 
in  order  I  had  to  state  very  fully  my  reasons  for 
wishing  to  go  to  France,  and  incidentally  there 
were  fees  to  be  paid.  The  actual  journey,  however, 
was  more  pleasant  than  one  might  have  expected 
under  the  prevailing  conditions.  The  usual  Pull- 
man breakfast  car  was  attached  to  the  Folkestone 
train,  and  passing  through  our  own  peaceful  Kent, 
the  only  indication  of  the  European  convulsion 
was  the  predominance  in  the  train  of  officers  and 
soldiers  in  khaki  returning  to  the  front  after  leave. 
Khaki  by  this  time  had  become  the  uniform  of  the 
Belgian  Army  as  well  as  the  uniform  of  the  great 
British  volunteer  army.  There  were  rigid  for- 
malities relating  to  passports  and  identity  cards 
to  be  observed  at  Folkestone,  but  I  came  through 
these  without  difficulty,  and  later  in  the  day 
(September  23rd)  reached  Boulogne,  where  I  saw 
about  two  hundred  Red  Cross  ambulances  waiting 

230 


3ST 


\0 


■< 


BOULOGNE— EPERNAY  239 

to  proceed  to  the  hospitals  to  fetch  our  wounded 
for  transport  across  the  Channel.  We  Londoners 
were  accustomed  to  the  daily  gathering  of  similar 
ambulances  in  the  vicinity  of  Charing  Cross  Station, 
but  over  on  the  French  coast  and  near  to  the  battle 
zone  the  great  tragedy  of  war  seemed  to  be  nearer, 
and  one  got  a  more  acute  sense  of  all  that  war 
meant.  On  the  quay,  wounded  men  were  being 
carried  on  stretchers  to  the  hospital  ship  in  the 
harbour,  and  all  the  hotels  in  Boulogne  had  been 
turned  into  hospitals  and  flew  the  Red  Cross  flag 
above  their  roofs. 

Boulogne  at  this  period  was  a  great  base  for  the 
British  Army.  The  country  between  Boulogne  and 
Le  Touquet  had  become  one  huge  hospital  and 
rest-camp.  One  found  there  even  Indian  cavalry 
watering  their  horses. 

Dining-cars  were  attached  to  the  Paris  train, 
and  the  journey  was  quite  comfortable.  On  Sep- 
tember 29th,  after  having  my  passport  vised  by 
the  poHce  at  the  Gare  de  I'Est,  I  left  Paris  for 
Epernay,  which  I  reached  after  a  two  hours' 
journey.  I  found  accommodation  at  the  Hotel 
de  r Europe,  where  thirty  years  previously  I  had 
stayed  with  Berkley  O'Meara.  Epernay  was  very 
animated  and  doing  much  business,  as  the  principal 
banks  and  firms  from  Reims  had  temporarily 
established  quarters  there.  The  inhabitants 
seemed  much  more  cheerful  than  when  I  had  seen 
them  a  year  before.  The  French  soldiers  had 
begun  to  wear  the  steel  helmet  to  protect  the  head 
against  bullets  and  shrapnel  in  the  trenches ;  it 
seemed  like  a  return  to  the  Middle  Ages. 


240  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

The  vintners  of  Epernay  went  to  their  work 
daily.  A  bell  summoned  them  to  their  labours 
at  5.45  every  morning.  People  who  in  due 
time  come  to  drink  the  vintage  of  1915  may 
with  all  reverence  drink  to  those  who  in  the  zone 
of  war  made  the  vintage  possible.  In  the  Moet 
Hospital  of  the  town,  during  my  visit,  I  saw  two 
pretty  little  girls,  one  aged  fifteen  and  the  other 
twelve,  who  had  been  wounded  by  shells  while 
cutting  the  grapes  in  the  vineyards.  Not  far 
away  were  the  valiant  troops  of  the  Republic.  I 
saw  in  Epernay  a  characteristic  proclamation  of 
General  Joffre  to  his  soldiers.  It  was  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  Soldats  de  la  Republique  Fran- 
9aise  !  L'heure  a  sonne  d' accord  avec  tous  les 
Allies  de  chasser  I'ennemi  de  France.  Une  attaque 
generale  concerte  en  Orient  et  en  Occident  doit 
nous  donner  la  victoire.  Soldats  de  France  !  Sou- 
venez-vous  de  la  Marne.  Je  vous  promet  la 
victoire  prochaine.     Vainer e  ou  mourir." 

I  lunched  and  dined  with  M.  and  Madame 
E.  Boizel,  M.  Pol  Roger  (the  mayor),  and  M.  Gallice, 
proprietor  of  the  Perrier-Jouet  brand  of  champagne. 
The  last-named  showed  me  several  chits  or  cheques 
given  him  by  German  officers.  One  was  for 
10,000  francs  for  his  motor-car,  and  others  were 
for  1906  champagne.  I  wondered  when  he  would 
get  his  money,  and  thought  he  might  as  well  have 
them  framed  as  a  souvenir  of  a  nightmare.  It 
was  really  a  miracle  that  Epernay  was  not  touched 
by  the  Germans  and  that  they  took  little  or  no 
champagne.  The  explanation  was  that  they  had 
to  leave  so  hurriedly  after  the  Battle  of  the  Marne. 


THE  GERMANS  IN  EPERNAY— REIMS      241 

From  the  Hotel  de  1' Europe,  where  I  stayed,  they 
took  away  all  the  wine,  linen,  cutlery,  and  any- 
thing else  that  might  prove  useful.  The  hotel  is 
a  nice,  old-fashioned  place,  an  old  posting-house, 
with  a  balconied  courtyard,  and  I  found  the 
cooking,   as  usual  in  France,  excellent. 

Good  vintages  have  often  occurred  in  years  of 
war,  and  the  1915  vintage  promised  to  be  very 
good.  One  of  the  best  champagne  years  recorded 
was  1870,  during  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 

One  night,  while  I  was  in  bed,  a  sergeant  and  two 
gendarmes  knocked  at  the  door  of  my  room  and 
wanted  to  see  my  papers.  When  I  told  them  I 
had  been  dining  with  the  mayor  and  knew  many 
friends  in  Epernay,  they  were  perfectly  satisfied 
with  the  passport.  The  investigators  looked  quite 
formidable  with  their  loaded  revolvers.  The 
authorities  get  the  names  of  visitors  through  the 
hotel  forms  which  one  fills  up  on  arriving. 

After  a  few  days  in  Epernay  I  returned  to  London, 
but  at  the  end  of  October  I  was  once  again  in  the  war 
zone.  From  Paris  I  travelled  by  train  to  Dormans, 
and  then  by  light  railway  to  Pagny-Jouy,  about 
9  kilometres  from  Reims.  This  was  the  railhead, 
as,  if  the  train  proceeded  further  towards  Reims, 
the  Germans  would  have  shelled  it.  I  completed 
the  journey  by  voiture,  and  arrived  without  mishap 
at  the  Hotel  du  Lion  d'Or.  At  this  time  only 
20,000  persons  out  of  the  original  population  of 
123,000  remained  in  the  city.  The  streets  were 
very  quiet  and  business  was  at  a  standstill.  The 
only  shops  open  were  those  which  catered  for  the 
petty  wants  of  the  army.     In  the  market,  however, 


242  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

brave  women  sat  at  their  fruit  and  vegetable  stalls 
in  defiance  of  the  enemy. 

The  cathedral,  unconquered  and  magnificent, 
looked  much  cleaner  and  neater  inside  than  when 
I  had  seen  it  a  year  before.  Glass  from  broken 
windows  had  been  removed  and  the  straw  littering 
the  floor  cleared  away.  Sandbags  were  piled  all 
round  the  building,  and  pigeons  flew  through  the 
open  windows.  I  noticed  that  of  the  many  figures 
in  the  statuary  group  of  the  Last  Judgment  the 
only  ones  damaged  by  shell-fire  were  those  of  the 
Devil  and  his  assistant.  In  the  roof  of  the  cathe- 
dral there  was  one  small  hole  ;  it  looked  like  a  star. 
No  Red  Cross  fiag  flew  from  the  tower.  Starlings, 
rooks,  and  pigeons  fluttered  round  the  building. 
There  was  no  jackdaw. 

At  the  Church  of  St.-Remi  I  saw  a  school  of 
girls  in  charge  of  convent  sisters  praying  at  the 
altar  with  the  sound  of  the  guns  echoing  outside. 
Afterwards  I  went  to  Pare  Pommery  and  looked 
through  a  curtain  in  the  windmill  there  at  the 
German  trenches.  Just  below,  twenty  soldiers  were 
buried  in  the  vineyard  cemetery.  Two  ofiicers 
of  the  42nd  Artillery  took  me  to  see  their  battery 
of  75's.  In  their  hidden  shelter,  iron-arched  like 
a  tube  railway,  they  had  sleeping  berths  and 
telephones,  and  were  quite  a  self-contained 
station.  The  following  are  further  extracts 
from  my  diaries  : 

November  \st,  All  Saints'  Day. — Went  to  Mass  in  G.  H. 
Mumm's  cellars  at  6.30  a.m.  Lovely  singing  by  soldiers, 
accompanied  by  harmonium.  The  altar  and  a  statue  of 
Joan  of  Arc  were  crossed  with  French  tricolour  flags.      The 


243 


MASS   IN  MUMM'S   CELLARS  245 

Padre  wore  blue  uniform  and  a  short  white  surplice  over 
the  tunic.  We  sat  on  full  champagne  cases  of  Cordon  Rouge, 
labelled  Chicago,  Portland,  San  Francisco,  and  other  places 
in  America,  ready  to  be  exported  at  the  time  war  broke  out. 
The  firms  were  Mumm  and  Giesler  in  1827,  but  once  a  German 
always  a  German,  and  the  business  is  now  sequestrated  by 
the  French  Government,  and  a  manager  has  been  appointed. 
The  cellars  are  cut  in  the  chalk  many  feet  deep,  and  the 
music  sounded  beautiful  in  the  distance.  When  the  bell 
rang  during  the  sacrament  there  was  a  dead  silence.  Many 
soldiers  remained  and  took  the  sacrament,  some  staying  for 
confession.  Oil  lamps  provided  the  illumination,  as  there 
is  no  electricity.  Had  breakfast  with  M.  Georges  Robinet, 
and  was  introduced  to  General  Siben,  commanding  the 
brigade,  who  has  given  me  permission  to  visit  the  trenches 
to-morrow.  I  was  also  introduced  to  Commandant  Vary, 
49th  Battalion  Chasseurs -a-pied ;  Colonel  Malaport,  320th 
Regiment  of  Infantry ;  Lieutenant  des  Lauriers,  Dragoons  ; 
Lieutenant  Marnejoues,  of  the  Diplomatic  Service,  and 
Moreau-Vauthier,  the  great  Parisian  sculptor.  Went  over 
the  children's  schools  in  cellars,  and  where  the  workpeople 
sleep  in  the  caves.     There  are  many  rats  in  cellars. 

November  2nd,  Jour  des  Morts  {All  SouW  Day). — This  is 
the  great  day  when  people  professing  the  Roman  Catholic 
faith  visit  the  cemeteries  and  pray  for  the  repose  of  their 
relations  and  friends.  General  Siben  was  staying  in  the  house 
of  M.  Robinet,  and  I  arrived  there  at  6.30  on  a  cold  and 
foggy  morning.  Walked  through  the  ruined  streets  to  go  to 
Mass  at  Betheny,  and  to  see  the  advance  trenches  close  to 
the  German  soldiers.  Robinet  and  myself  were  the  only 
civilians.  We  walked  with  the  General,  a  tall,  fine-looking 
soldier,  with  a  short  beard.  He  was  accompanied  by  his 
A.D.C.,  Lieutenant  des  Lauriers,  of  the  Dragoons,  and 
Sergeant  (subsequently  Lieutenant)  Moreau-Vauthier,  the 
sculptor,  then  in  the  Chasseurs-a-pied.  They  were  all  in 
the  same  uniform  and  wore  casquets  (steel  helmets).  As  the 
morning  was  foggy  and  the  forts  could  not  see  us,  we  marched 
along  in  the  middle  of  the  road  instead  of  going  in  the  trenches 
all  the  way.      It  was  about  two  miles  to  Betheny,  where 


246  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  Grande  Semaine  d' Aviation  took  place  in  1910.  Arriving 
at  the  headquarters  we  met  Major  Vary,  and  he  showed  us 
his  shelter,  made  in  eighteen  days.  The  accommodation 
included  a  dining-room,  dispensary,  rooms  for  the  commandant 
and  doctor,  a  general  sleeping -cabin  and  officers'  berths,  all 
covered  above  with  layers  of  earth,  turf,  logs  of  wood  (like 
a  mille-feuilles  cake),  and  iron-rounded  arches  below.  The 
shelter  had  electric  light,  hot  baths,  fire-places,  comfortable 
furniture,  and  the  inevitable  statue  of  Joan  of  Arc,  which 
seems  to  be  accepted  as  an  ideal  mascot.  A  big  bell  from  the 
church  rings  when  the  Boches  send  gas  across.  The  sounding 
of  the  alarm  gives  men  time  to  put  on  their  masks.  Went 
through  the  cemetery,  where  trenches  have  been  dug  along 
the  paths  and  there  are  loopholes  in  the  wall  to  shoot  through. 
The  cemetery  is  beautifully  kept,  and  many  flowers  rested 
on  the  graves.  One  grave  I  noticed  was  that  of  a  German 
aviator.  Captain  Petersen.  The  name  suggested  Norwegian  or 
Swedish  origin,  and  in  front  of  the  tomb,  in  letters  of  stone 
and  chalk,  were  the  words :  "  Honnetjb  aux  Braves." 
Another  grave  contained  the  bodies  of  eighty-four  French 
soldiers.  Went  up  the  observation  station,  and  walked  through 
the  ruined  town  of  Betheny.  The  church  looked  like  a  child's 
toy  which  had  been  built  of  bricks  in  all  shapes  and  sizes 
and  then  knocked  down.  It  had  suffered  severely  by  bombard- 
ment. Over  100,000  shells  had  been  rained  on  this  small 
village.  In  one  part  of  the  church,  which  still  retained  a 
little  covering,  a  simple  service  was  held.  The  organ  had 
been  destroyed  and  buried  in  the  ruins.  Over  the  altar  was 
the  text :  "  Le  coeur  de  Jesus  sauve  la  France,"  a  picture 
of  Christ,  and  a  statue  of  Joan  of  Arc.  Soldiers  sang  the 
Mass  ;  there  were  fine  voices  from  the  Opera  and  theatres 
among  them.  Birds  chirped  outside,  and  as  a  contrast  inces- 
sant sniping  was  going  on  only  a  few  yards  away.  The  service 
under  such  conditions  was  very  impressive.  After  church 
we  went  through  the  advance  trenches,  accompanied  by 
Lieutenant  Moliere,  49th  Regiment  of  Chasseurs-a-pied — 
son-in-law  of  the  mayor  of  Reims,  a  smart  young  officer, 
who  made  a  splendid  guide.^ 

1  Killed  later  in  the  war. 


BETHENY— THE  TRENCHES      247 

Passing  through  Betheny,  we  visited  the  improvised  theatre 
for  the  soldiers,  and  saw  some  of  the  engineers  experimenting 
to  keep  the  gas  away.  Walked  through  zigzag  trenches  for 
a  long  distance,  stopping  at  the  different  observation  and 
machine  gun  posts.  Had  a  good  view  through  holes  of  the 
Grerman  trenches  only  a  few  yards  away.  Curious  to  see 
the  French  soldiers  with  their  rifles,  glasses,  and  cartridges 
ready  to  snipe  if  they  observed  anything.  Rather  reminded 
one  of  big-game  shooting  in  British  East  Africa.  At  a  point 
about  eight  or  ten  yards  from  the  German  advance  trenches, 
the  soldiers  had  a  Persian  kitten  and  a  magpie  playing  on  the 
top  together.  I  was  able  to  see  the  German  forts — Brimont, 
Fresnes,  Witry,  Berru,  Cernay,  Nogent  I'Abbesse,  and  Fort 
Pompelle. 

The  Chasseurs-a-pied  are  very  fine  troops.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  French  Republic  visited  their  trenches,  which 
are  supposed  to  be  the  best  in  France,  and  I  was  very 
lucky  to  have  had  the  chance  of  seeing  them,  as  the  only 
civilian  Englishman  who  had  been  there.  During  the  Presi- 
dent's visit  he  had  a  conversation  with  three  ladies,  who  have, 
or  had,  cows,  and  still  remained  in  Betheny,  An  ofiicer  asked 
one  old  lady  if  she  knew  who  she  had  been  talking  to,  and 
she  answered :  "  Only  a  civilian."  When  the  President 
returned,  she  apologized  for  not  knowing  him.  The  President 
was  very  much  amused,  and  gave  her  a  little  brooch  (requi- 
sitioned for  the  occasion,  I  am  afraid)  as  a  souvenir.  The 
soldiers  are  much  more  healthy  in  trenches  than  in  barracks, 
and  have  a  splendid  outdoor  colour. 

After  walking  through  a  Hampton  Court  Maze  of  trenches, 
often  losing  ourselves  and  having  to  refer  to  the  map  of  the 
system,  we  returned  to  Reims.  Many  wild  cats  were  about. 
They  had  been  left  by  their  owners,  and  were  useful  in  killing 
rats.  Dogs  were  not  allowed  in  Reims,  as  they  bark  when 
the  troops  pass  through  and  put  the  enemy  on  the  alert. 

Wednesday,  November  3rd. — Major  Corlass,  commanding 
the  garrison  in  Reims,  kindly  gave  me  permission  to  photo- 
graph the  cathedral  from  my  bedroom  window,  which  was 
just  opposite,  and  I  got  some  very  good  results.     No  cameras 


248  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

are  allowed  for  civilians,  and  if  a  person  were  seen  using  one 
it  would  be  confiscated  by  the  police.  To  get  pictures  I  more 
than  once  got  soldiers  in  uniform  to  operate  the  shutter.  In 
the  interiors  photography  was  not  forbidden  ;  only  in  public 
places  and  roads.  Went  to  see  the  caves  below  the  hotel. 
There  was  no  one  in  the  hotel  at  this  time  except  mademoiselle 
the  cashier,  who,  in  spite  of  many  narrow  escapes,  stuck  to 
her  post,  and  a  woman  who  cooked.  The  cellars  of  the  hotel 
are  hundreds  of  years  old,  and  perhaps  of  Roman  origin, 
and  they  extend  under  the  road.  We  had  given  our  names  to 
the  pompiers  (the  fire  brigade),  in  case  we  might  be  smothered 
and  the  whole  hotel  tumble  down.  In  such  a  case  the  cellars 
could  be  relied  on  to  remain  intact,  as  they  were  quite  fifty 
steps  down  and  covered  with  an  arched  stone  roof.^  Stored 
in  the  caves,  we  had  plenty  of  the  good  wine  for  which  the 
Lion  d'Or  was  noted,  and  a  supply  of  sardines,  bread,  and 
cheese,  together  with  oil  lamps  and  candles  for  use  in  emer- 
gency. 

November  Hh. — ^Went  again  to  Pare  Pommery  after  lunch, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Fradin,  to  see  the  artillery 
batteries.  There  were  about  18  guns,  of  120  mm.,  95  mm.,  and 
75  mm.  calibre.  The  park  in  its  autumnal  colouring  was  very 
beautiful.  Grapes  were  still  on  the  vines,  and  we  ate  some — 
white  and  black.  Soldiers  were  digging  trenches.  The  forts 
are  like  patisseries  disguised  with  layers  of  cement,  iron  plates, 
and  faggots,  and  at  the  top  they  have  a  weathercock  to  make 
them  look  from  an  aeroplane  like  windmills.  The  big  guns 
had  leather  over  their  mouths  to  prevent  the  dust  of  the 
chalk  blowing  in  and  getting  down  their  throats.  Splendid 
engineering  ;  I  was  introduced  to  the  engineer  who  is  making 
the  forts  and  observation  corners.  Guns  are  in  solid  cement. 
Curious  to  see  written  up  at  the  entrance  of  the  park  the 
words  :  "  Entree,  1  franc."  Visited  Ruinart's  cellars,  which 
are  all  in  the  line  of  fire  ;  the  guardian  has  a  fine  dog,  kept  on 
the  first  floor,  which  barks  at  a  stranger.  Ruinart's  cellars 
and  Charles  Heidsieck's  cellars  are  perhaps  the  most  pictur- 

1  Later  on,  the  whole  hotel  was  destroyed  by   the  shells, 
but  no  one  was  then  in  the  place. 


249 


REIMS— CELLARS  251 

esque  in  Reims  ;  the  former  is  like  an  old  country  farmyard, 
with  large  court  and  yard,  and  the  latter  has  caves  dug  out 
of  the  chalk  (originally  quarries  to  build  Reims),  without 
modern  arches. 

The  chef  des  caves  who  took  me  over  Ruinart's  remembered 
the  Franco-German  War  very  well,  and  made  interesting 
comparisons.  A  little  child  and  the  mother  got  wounded  by 
one  of  the  shells,  but  still  remained  in  the  lodge.  A  high 
chimney  pierced  by  a  shell  was  still  standing,  and  made 
a  good  observation  tower.  The  chef  des  caves  at  Charles 
Heidsieck's  had  ten  chickens  killed  and  thirty  rabbits — the 
fowl-house  was  demolished.  The  children  go  to  school  through 
the  tunnels  from  one  cave  to  another.  Those  of  Ruinart, 
Heidsieck,  Pommery,  and  Goulet,  made  during  the  war, 
join  up  to  one  another.  In  the  school  at  Pommery  there 
were  fifty  pupils  last  year  ;  this  year  there  are  only  fifteen. 
There  is  a  chapel  and  a  gymnasium  for  drilling  the  children. 

Lunched  with  M.  and  Madame  Baudet,  and  met  M.  and 
Madame  Tassigny,  Abbe  Dupuit,  and  Abbe  Mailfait.  We 
had  an  excellent  repast  of  langouste,  country  pie,  pintade, 
and  1904  Pommery.  This  was  the  two  hundredth  anni- 
versary of  the  splendid  old  monk  "  Dom  Perignon,"  the 
inventor  and  discoverer  of  champagne — so  we  drank  to  his 
health  in  silence.  There  are  still  about  eighty  millions  of 
bottles  in  Reims,  Epernay,  Avize,  Ay,  and  Champagne  district. 

Friday,  November  5th. — Machine  guns  and  big  guns  were 
noisy  during  the  night.  Former  sound  like  waves  rolling 
over  the  pebbles  at  Brighton.  There  are  now  only  about 
18,000  people  in  Reims  with  their  own  livings  ;  the  remainder 
of  the  population  is  kept  by  the  municipality.  Called  on 
M.  Carron,  Goulet  et  Cie,  and  had  a  nice  chat.  M.  du  Bary 
is  in  Paris.  Lunched  at  the  Reims  Club,  a  beautiful  residence, 
comfortably  arranged,  with  a  good  billiard-room  and  reading- 
room,  and  excellent  chef.  There  are  only  six  members  left 
residing  in  Reims ;  the  others  have  gone  or  have  been 
mobilized.  Passing  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  read  a  notice  to  house- 
holders to  keep  their  couloirs  (passages)  open  for  inhabitants 
to  run  into  when  shells  and  bombs  come. 


252  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Saturday,  November  6th. — Went  to  see  Maison  Krug.  Major 
Krug  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Germans.  Many  soldiers 
were  in  the  courtyard,  changing  their  quarters.  Called  at 
Louis  Roederer's  and  Irroy's  ;  1914  and  1915  were  good 
years  with  them.  Saw  General  Siben  and  his  army  leaving 
for  Verzenay,  noted  for  its  fine  grapes,  and  the  arrival  of 
fresh  troops  with  veterans  and  young  soldiers  mixed  in  the 
companies.  There  were  mules  laden  with  machine  guns, 
a  band  in  the  rear,  and  six  smoking  kitchens  on  wheels,  with 
a  good  savoury  smell  of  onions.  In  Clicquot's  cellar  heard 
the  military  band  practising ;  all  the  cellars  are  full  of 
soldiers.     Got  vise  to  leave  for  Paris. 

November  1th,  2)th,  and  ^th. — Met  M.  Thomas,  of  Lanson's, 
who  is  mobilized.  He  very  kindly  arranged  for  a  carriage 
to  take  me  to  Epernay  at  a  cost  of  25  francs,  with  5  francs 
pourboire.  Went  over  the  theatre  ;  twenty-four  shells  had 
fallen  in  the  building.  The  heavy  chandelier,  hopelessly 
wrecked,  lay  in  the  middle  of  the  stalls.  Boxes  were  filled 
with  dust  and  the  back  of  the  stage  was  piled  high  with 
rubbish  and  dirt ;  ropes  hung  loose  and  the  scenery  was 
tattered  and  soiled. 

Stayed  a  few  days  at  Epernay,  and  then  left  via  Paris  and 
Boulogne  for  London.  At  Boulogne  station  and  in  the  train 
read  notices  with  which  all  travellers  in  France  soon  became 
familiar.  "  Remember  not  to  talk  about  military  matters, 
especially  the  movements  of  troops,  because  you  may  do 
harm  to  your  country."  "  Taisez-vous,  mefiez-vous,  les 
oreilles  ennemis  vous  ecoutent."  Had  to  .remain  a  night  at 
Boulogne  after  going  on  board,  as  German  submarines  were 
reported  to  be  about  and  the  hospital  ship  Anglia  had  been 
sunk. 

In  March  1916  I  was  again  in  Reims,  and  found 
that  in  the  intervening  four  months  since  my 
previous  visit  little  had  changed.  I  travelled  out 
this  time  by  Southampton  and  Havre,  and  had 
as  fellow-passengers  to  Paris  the  Hon.  Arthur 
Stanley,  President  of  the  British  Red  Cross  Society, 


REIMS— LORD  NORTHCLIFFE  253 

and  Mr.  Douglas  Pennant.  Snow  lay  white  on 
the  hills  and  fields  of  France,  and  on  March  8th, 
when  I  reached  the  Hotel  du  Lion  d'Or  once  more 
at  Reims,  the  country  was  frost-bound.  The  last 
stage  of  the  journey  had,  as  usual,  to  be  made 
by  carriage,  and  as  we  drew  near  to  the  city  I 
noticed  that  much  netting  was  used  to  camouflage 
the  roads.  On  arriving  at  the  hotel,  I  received  a 
note  left  for  me  by  Lord  Northcliffe,  who  was 
motoring  through  the  war  zone.  Lord  Northcliffe 
included  a  vivid  chapter  on  life  in  Reims  in  his 
book  At  the  War^  published  for  the  Joint  War  Com- 
mittee of  the  British  Red  Cross  Society  and  the 
Order  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem.  "  Reims,"  he 
said  in  his  narrative,  "  is  bombarded  with  per- 
sistent regularity.  Its  stricken  folk  are  subject  to 
attacks  vastly  more  serious  than  any  Zeppelin 
raid,  and  so  often  that  the  French  communiques 
have  ceased  to  report  them.  The  world  outcry 
has  saved  the  remains  of  the  cathedral."  I  would 
like  to  quote  a  passage  about  the  Hotel  du  Lion 
d'Or : 

Perhaps  my  readers  have  known  and  loved  Reims,  and 
can  recall  the  scene  at  the  great  west  entrance.  There  is 
a  humble  little  equestrian  figure  of  Jeanne  d'Arc,  carrjdng 
now  in  her  hand  a  French  flag  and  decorated  around  the 
plinth  with  many  tributes  from  passing  soldiery,  who  have 
paused  to  note  the  marvel  of  the  fact  that  her  sanctity  has 
not  been  disturbed  by  even  one  shell  fragment.  To  the  right 
of  this  little  figure  of  Joan  the  Maid  and  facing  the  cathedral 
is  the  Hotel  of  the  Lion  d'Or,  the  front  damaged,  but  the 
house  itself,  though  within  a  child's  stone -throw  of  the  cathe- 
dral, hardly  hurt.  To-day  the  hotel,  reminiscent  of  the  happy 
holidays    of    thousands   of    English    and    American    tourists, 


254  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

bears  itself  bravely.  There  were  even  a  few  dafFodils  in  the 
salle  a  manger,  and  there  is  a  comfortable  dug-out  below-stairs. 
There  was  exactly  one  foreign  visitor  who  shared  with  us 
the  excellent  meal  provided — Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler,  a 
well-known  friend  of  France  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
automobile.  Here  at  Reims,  with  the  Huns  almost  within 
rifle-shot,  and  in  places  even  more  closely  adjoining  the  firing- 
line,  the  French  provide  wonderful  meals. 

In  1916  more  aeroplanes  were  overhead  than 
was  the  case  earlier  in  the  war.  It  was  curious 
to  watch  the  anti-aircraft  guns  trying  to  bring 
them  down.  One  could  see  the  flash  of  the  burst- 
ing shells  and  then  the  puff  of  smoke.  Sometimes 
there  would  be  as  many  as  fifty  smoke-rings  at 
once  expanding  in  the  air.  During  my  first  day 
in  Reims  we  were  called  up  from  Heidsieck's  caves, 
where  we  were  tasting  the  1906  and  1911  cham- 
pagnes, to  see  a  thrilling  fight  in  the  air.  The 
following  morning  I  went  through  the  market, 
and  found  business  going  on  there  as  placidly  as 
ever,  though  the  stall-holders  carried  the  gas- 
masks and  glasses  supplied  free  to  the  population. 
Plenty  of  fish,  oysters,  snails,  mussels,  fowls, 
pigeons,  cauliflowers,  and  oranges  were  offered  for 
sale.  Walking  by  the  cathedral,  I  noticed  many 
pigeons  flying  with  small  pieces  of  wood  in  their 
beaks,  making  nests  inside  the  roof. 

On  March  11th  I  lunched  with  M.  Goulden, 
whose  house  was  the  first  to  be  hit  by  a  shell  in 
1914.  He  has  taken  some  splendid  photographs 
of  the  cathedral  and  Betheny.  After  lunch  I 
went  over  Holden's  wool-mill,  which  had  been 
entirely  destroyed.     Machinery   was  covered  over 


256 


MASS  UNDERGROUND  257 

with  tarpaulins.  On  Sunday,  March  12th,  I  again 
had  the  impressive  experience  of  attending  Mass 
in  the  cellars.  Large  numbers  of  soldiers  attended 
the  service,  and  there  was  good  singing.  I  also 
made  a  round  of  the  dormitories  in  the  caves. 
The  day  being  Sunday,  the  chef  des  caves  was 
having  a  good  rest  in  bed  with  a  white  nightcap 
on  to  keep  away  the  cold  and  damp  and  perhaps 
the  rats.  There  was  no  sleeping  above  ground  in 
Reims.  Only  in  the  chalk  cellars  could  men  and 
women  and  children  be  secure  at  night.  Children 
were  born  in  the  cellars  during  the  German  encircle- 
ment. In  the  cemetery  on  this  Sunday  the  annual 
Red  Cross  memorial  service  for  dead  soldiers  and 
sailors  was  held.  The  Cardinal  Archbishop,  looking 
very  handsome  with  his  fine  round  face  and  snowy 
white  hair,  attended,  and  there  was  special  singing 
by  Opera  singers. 

I  have  the  following  notes  of  the  several  days  of 
my  stay  : 

Sunday,  March  \2th. — Bad  day  for  bombardment,  and 
many  shells  in  Reims.  Lunched  with  M.  Robinet.  After 
dinner  watched  the  cathedral  lit  up  by  the  moon  with  wonder- 
ful lights  and  shades.  Until  10  p.m.  there  was  dead  silence, 
and  then  came  a  sudden  attack.  Frightened  birds  began 
twittering  and  flew  round  the  towers  of  the  cathedral.  The 
editor  of  the  Courier  Champenoise  dined  with  me.  Very  few 
ladies  remain  in  Reims.  Among  those  who  have  been  here 
during  the  whole  of  the  bombardment  are  Madame  Langlet, 
Madame  Lambert,  Madame  Edouard  Walbaum,  Madame 
Labargue,  Madame  Tassigny,  Madame  Baudet,  Mademoiselle 
Margotin,  Miss  Hodgson.  In  the  Town  Hail  are  many  notices 
telling  inhabitants  to  keep  passages  open,  how  to  put  on  their 
masks,  and  instructing  them  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  house, 
as  the  gas  descends — not  ascends. 

11 


258  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Monday,  March  \Mh. — Lunched  with  M.  and  Madame 
Baudet,  89  Boulevard  Henry  Vasnie,  and  met  M.  and  Madame 
Tassigny,  M.  I'Abbe  Dupuit  (Cure  de  St.  Benoit  de  Reims), 
M.  I'Abbe  Mailfait  (brother  of  Madame  Baudet),  le  Com- 
mandant Blin,  Captain  Fradin  and  Captain  Paris,  of  the 
Artillery  batteries.  After  lunch,  went  for  a  walk  and  saw  the 
batteries  in  the  Pare  Pommery.  Germans  were  firing  a  good 
deal,  and  while  walking  with  M.  Baudet  a  shell  fell  and  burst 
in  the  soft  ground,  throwing  up  a  black  cloud  of  smoke  and 
earth  only  100  feet  from  us.  I  wanted  to  go  and  pick  up  some 
pieces,  but  M.  Baudet  advised  me  to  go  on,  as  another  shell 
might  come.  We  had  our  revenge.  In  a  party  we  went  to 
the  square  in  the  Park,  and  the  commandant  allowed  us, 
the  ladies  included,  to  return  the  fire  of  the  Boches  with  the 
famous  75  mm.  guns.  The  batteries  were  beautifully  arranged 
and  disguised.  Madame  Tassigny,  whose  husband  was  a 
prisoner  in  Germany,  fired  No.  1  gun,  the  splendid  Abbe 
Dupuit  followed  and  pulled  the  cord  of  No.  2  gun,  and 
I  followed  with  No.  3  gun.  Managed  to  get  several 
good  Kodak  snapshots,  and  hoped  I  had  caused  damage 
to  the  Germans.  Mounting  the  observatory,  we  could  see 
plainly  the  shells  bursting  in  the  German  trenches,  throwing 
up  dust  and  smoke  about  two  miles  distant.  In  Reims  I 
had  several  opportunities  of  pulling  the  cord  of  the  75  mm. 
guns.  The  noise  was  very  deafening  in  so  small  an  enclosure, 
and  when  the  artillerymen  fire  it  is  best  to  close  one's  ears. 
Very  little  recoil  to  these  guns. 

Tuesday,  March  lUh. — Lunched  in  Rue  de  Consul.  In  the 
middle  of  lunch  we  were  disturbed  by  a  fight  in  the  air 
between  a  Boche  and  a  French  aeroplane.  Sound  seems  to 
be  magnified  when  machine  guns  fire.  Went  over  the  schools 
and  saw  the  children  at  their  lessons.  They  were  well 
wrapped  up,  but  had  no  fire  and  no  light,  except  that  of  oil 
lamps.  When  the  children  grow  up  to  be  my  age,  how  they 
will  remember  their  life  in  the  cellars  ! 

Wednesday,  March  15th. — Raining.  Blackbirds  singing] 
beautifully  in  gardens  at  5.30  a.m.  This  is  the  534th  jour] 
du  siege.     Next  door  to  hotel  is  an  old  building,  which  must 


•259 


L 


AN  UNDERGROUND  CONCERT  261 

have  been  a  hospital.  Fire-grate  bore  the  date  1730.  The 
caves  where  we  descend  have  Roman  and  Gothic  arches. 
Slept  in  No.  57  room,  "  Chambre  des  Otages,"  where  about 
thirty  hostages  were  shut  up  when  the  enemy  was  in  the 
city,  with  two  soldiers  from  the  Imperial  Guards  on  guard. 

M.  Lewthwaite,  M.  Goulden,  M.  Thomas,  and  many  of  my 
friends  were  taken  and  released  in  the  evening  by  the  Germans. 
The  Germans  were  ten  days  in  Reims  in  September  1914  and 
paid  for  everything,  giving  the  hotel  paper  cheques,  which 
the  French  Government  will  repay.  Colonel  Corlass  vised 
passport  to  go  by  carriage  to  Epernay.  Captain  Mouhot, 
A.D.C.,  M.  Gerardin,  and  M.  Robinet  lunched  with  me  at 
the  hotel. 

Thursday,  March  16th. — Lunched  with  M.  Duntze  and 
three  officers  quartered  in  his  house,  and  drank  1904  Heid- 
sieck  Dry  Monopole.  The  servant  soldier  who  waited  on 
us  is  in  a  large  firm  in  the  wine  trade — a  curious  change  of 
life,  but  he  performs  his  military  duty  very  well.  Went  to 
Louis  Roederer's  cellars  and  heard  a  concert.  Some  of  the 
soldiers  were  Opera  singers  and  sang  from  "Werther"  by 
Massenet.  The  military  band  of  the  58th  Regiment  (from 
the  Midi)  played  selections.  The  music  echoed  through  the 
caves.  Many  soldiers  from  the  trenches  come  here  for  repos. 
They  have  eight  days  in  the  trenches  and  then  four  days' 
rest.  Their  rifles,  in  fours,  were  stacked  on  the  floor  of  the 
cellar  so  as  to  be  ready  at  a  moment's  notice.  The  troops 
have  a  very  good  cinema,  with  electric  light  from  Heidsieck's 
plant.  The  chef  de  musiqiie  is  M.  Luget.  The  Colonel,  after 
the  concert,  made  a  speech,  and  told  the  soldiers  to  remember 
Charleroi  and  Waterloo.  The  band  then  played  the  Marseil- 
laise. The  charges  at  Hotel  du  Lion  d'Or  are  very  moderate, 
as  the  terms  are  arranged  by  the  military  as  follows  :  room  and 
fire,  8  francs  ;  dinner,  4  francs  ;  lunch,  4  francs  ;  petit  dejeuner^ 
1.25  franc.     Good  red  wine,  2  francs  per  bottle. 

Friday,  March  \lth. — Went  down  cellars  to  see  that 
everything  was  in  order  in  case  of  emergency.  The  stores 
included  a  pickaxe  and  shovel,  water,  oil  lamps,  candles,  and 
provisions.     Lunched    at    Cercle    du    Reims    and    met    M. 


\ 


262  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Gerardin,  a  well-known  broker  from  Epernay  ;  also  M.  Georges, 
President  des  Docks  Remois,  amd  President  of  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  Reims ;  M.  Lelarge,  a  prominent  wool  and 
jQannel  manufacturer  ;  Dr.  Simon,  M.  Farre,  M.  Charles  Heid- 
sieck,  and  Captain  d'Izarny-Gorges.  In  the  middle  of  lunch 
the  butler  announced  that  the  Germans  were  shelling  Reims, 
so  we  had  to  wait  in  the  club  till  they  had  finished.  After 
coffee  and  liqueurs,  took  a  photo  in  the  garden.  Two  or  three 
shells  had  fallen  in  the  club  precincts.  M.  Georges  took  us 
in  his  motor-car  to  the  Docks  Remois,  an  enormous  concern 
with  nine  hundred  branches,  mostly  in  the  North  of  France. 
They  sell  everything,  and  this  is  their  great  depot  for  receiving 
goods.  Good  view  of  Fort  Brimont  and  Betheny  from  top 
of  roof. 

Saturday,  March  \^th. — M.  Rothier  took  flashlight  photos 
in  cellars  of  school-children  working  and  playing,  marching 
and  singing  to  tunes  with  patriotic  airs,  one  child  singing  a 
solo  and  the  rest  coming  and  joining  in  the  chorus  and  refrain. 
This  kept  the  children  warm  with  the  exercise.  One  picture 
showed  the  chapel,  with  children  and  soldiers  holding  their 
gas-masks,  sitting  on  the  full  champagne  cases.  We  also 
got  a  group  outside  in  the  open  air.  Just  when  the  two 
hundred  children  were  ready  for  the  photograph,  a  soldier 
sounded  an  alarm  that  a  Boche  aeroplane  was  approaching, 
and  everyone  had  immediately  to  take  shelter  below.  After 
the  machine  had  passed  we  came  up  again,  and  the  photo 
was  taken  with  the  soldier  blowing  his  bugle.  I  stood  by 
the  soldier  for  the  picture,  and  later  sent  a  copy  to  each  of 
the  children  as  a  souvenir  when  they  grow  up. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   WORLD   AT   Yf KB,— Continued 

When  next  I  visited  France,  in  September  1916, 
the  Somme  campaign  was  being  closely  and  eagerly- 
followed  by  all  the  nations  at  war.  Civilian  travel- 
ling across  the  Channel  had  almost  ceased,  but  the 
boat  to  Boulogne  was  crowded  with  officers  and 
troops.  When  I  went  on  board  I  put  on  a  Gieve 
waistcoat  equipped  with  a  brandy-flask  and  a 
whistle ;  the  whistle  would  have  been  useful  at 
night  if  by  mine  or  submarine  one  had  got  in  the 
water.  All  the  officers  and  troops  had  life-belts 
in  case  of  "  accidents."  One  of  the  new  "  P " 
boats  piloted  us  across  and  gave  us  a  zigzag  course 
to  follow.  Overhead  an  airship  watched  the  water 
for  submarines.  Having  a  few  hours  on  my  hands 
at  Boulogne  before  the  departure  of  the  Paris 
train,  I  went  out  to  Wimereux  to  see  the  hospitals. 
The  golf  links  were  open,  people  in  hundreds  were 
bathing,  and  a  band  played  on  the  promenade  at 
Boulogne. 

The  journey  to  Paris  occupied  all  the  night. 
We  left  Boulogne  at  9  p.m.,  and  arrived  at  the 
Gare  du  Nord  at  5.45  a.m.  The  same  morning 
I  proceeded  to  Nancy,  via  Epernay,  Chalons,  Toul, 
Bar-le-Duc,    and    Godroncourt.      Men    and     boys 

268 


264  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

were  fishing  in  the  canals  and  the  River  Marne, 
though  aircraft  were  scouting  overhead.  From 
the  train  one  could  see  in  the  cornfields  around 
Vitry-le-Fran9ois  many  crosses  marking  the  graves 
of  fallen  heroes.  At  Toul  we  had  the  Germans  only 
six  miles  away — at  Commercy — from  the  train. 
The  French  soldiers  struck  me  as  looking  years 
younger  than  they  used  to  do.  This  must  be 
because  they  no  longer  wear  beards  and  mous- 
taches. The  reason  why  shaving  had  been  adopted 
was  that  the  gas-masks  could  be  more  effectively 
fitted  to  the  clean-shaven  face. 

After  reaching  Nancy  it  was  necessary  to  have 
my  red  carnet  d^etranger  vised  at  the  railway 
station.  Then  I  was  free  to  proceed  to  the  Grand 
Hotel,  where  I  obtained  a  large  room  facing  the 
Place  Stanislas  for  the  moderate  price  of  seven 
francs  a  day.  The  Hotel  de  Ville  is  in  the  Square, 
and  the  architect  of  the  R-oyal  Automobile  Club 
in  Pall  Mall  must  have  seen  the  building,  for  the 
front  elevation  of  the  Club  is  almost  a  replica  of 
the  facia  of  this  French  town  hall.  I  found 
Nancy  quite  normal,  with  tramways  and  other 
public  services  working  without  hindrance.  At 
night  the  town  was  darkened,  however,  and  seemed 
very  still.  Restaurants  closed  at  9  p.m.  for 
soldiers  and  at  10  p.m.  for  civilians.  From  my 
diary  I  extract  the  following  observations,  recorded 
at  the  time  of  my  visit : 

Saturday,  September  2nd. — Took  a  drive  and  saw  where 
the  houses  were  destroyed  by  the  bombardment.  About 
sixty  shells  came  into  Nancy,  but  many  fell  in  the  Park  and 
open  places,  and  several  passed  over  and  burst  in  the  fields. 


IPhoto  i>\  Autiijr 


THE  WONDERFUL  ROSE  WINDOW  OF   REIMS  CATHEDRAL. 

This  window  had  to  be  carefully  taken  out  and  the  old  stained  glass  removed.    Pompiers 

at  work.    1917. 


265 


NANCY— TOUL  267 

In  the  Town  Hall  a  huge  380  mm.  projectile  is  exhibited  at 
the  entrance,  with  other  shells.  This  large  one  fell  in  the 
Rue  Nicholas,  but  did  not  explode.  Statues  around  the 
Square  are  covered  up  with  sandbags  for  fear  of  bombs. 
Communique  twice  a  day  posted  up  outside  Hotel  de  Ville. 
French  officers  look  very  smart  with  the  numbers  of  their 
regiment  on  velvet  with  white  letters  and  their  medals.  It 
is  extraordinary  to  see  the  enormous  numbers  of  butts  and 
casks  of  wines  for  the  Poilus.  Two  million  bottles  a  day 
are  consumed  by  the  soldiers,  who  prefer  the  wine  almost 
to  meat.  To  a  Frenchman  wine  is  "food."  Tea  and  coffee 
do  not  provide  enough  sustenance,  and  they  are  not  the  fruit 
of  the  grape.  Called  on  a  large  wine-grower  who  had  vineyards 
on  the  Moselle,  close  to  Pagny-sur-Moselle,  but  his  house 
was  totally  destroyed  by  a  shell,  and  he  had  left  Nancy. 
Beautiful  starlight  night ;  two  aeroplanes  shot  through  the 
skies  with  their  red  lights  shining,  returning  from  some 
bombing  expedition. 

Sunday,  September  3rd. — Went  to  Toul.  Had  to  wait  in 
the  train  at  Nancy  owing  to  a  Boche  aeroplane  coming  over 
the  town  and  drawing  the  French  gunfire.  After  the  enemy 
airman  had  retired  we  proceeded.  Put  up  at  Hotel  Comedie 
in  Toul,  and  went  to  the  cathedral,  where  there  was  a 
splendid  organist  and  fine  singing.  Visited  M.  Cordier,  a  well- 
known  vine  grower  of  Toul  and  manufacturer  of  white  wines. 
Some  good  Brut  champagne  is  made  in  the  district.  M.  Cordier's 
cellars  are  used  by  the  Government  as  a  distributing  depot  for 
the  troops  from  St.-Mihiel  to  Pont-a-Mousson.  He  has  a  very 
good  electric  pump  for  blending  the  different  red  and  white 
wines  which  come  from  all  parts,  Algeria  and  even  the  Argen- 
tine included.  Tasted  the  Poilu  wine,  which  is  of  good  dark 
colour,  has  a  nice  bouquet,  and  is  very  bright.  Bought  at 
Madame  Godin's  some  souvenirs  in  the  form  of  aeroplanes 
made  by  the  soldiers  in  the  trenches.  Toul  is  a  great  military 
centre  ;  it  is  based  on  the  ancient  fortress  built  by  Vauban, 
with  wide  moats  all  round.  In  these  days  all  who  come  and 
go  there  are  closely  supervised,  and  the  organization  to  guard 
against  unauthorized  persons  and  spies  is  very  highly 
developed. 


268  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Monday,  September  4:th. — Left  Toul  for  Chalons-sur-Marne, 
where  I  arrived  two  hours  late,  owing  to  the  congestion  of 
troop  trains  and  horse  and  cattle  trucks  in  front  of  us.  An 
excellent  dining  and  lunching  car  is  run  between  Nancy  and 
Paris,  with  waitresses  and  a  female  chef.  Met  MM.  Edouard 
and  Jules  Boizel  on  Chalons  platform,  and  had  a  chat  with 
them  about  the  vintage.  Prospects  are  not  good  this  year, 
as  the  weather  was  too  cold  in  the  spring  ;  1911,  1914,  1916 
have  been  the  best  years  since  1904  and  1906.  Germans 
were  here,  as  in  Epernay,  for  ten  days,  but  they  did  not  touch 
either  of  the  towns  ;  their  retreat,  when  it  began,  was  too 
rapid.  Arrived  Dormans,  and  put  up  at  the  little  inn, 
Hotel  Demoncy. 

Tuesday,  September  5th. — I  was  writing  up  my  diary  in 
my  pyjamas  at  the  table  with  the  window  open  this  morning, 
when  the  femme  de  chambre  knocked  at  my  door  and  said 
the  police  wanted  to  see  me.  I  guessed  at  once  they  wished 
to  look  at  my  papers.  In  walked  the  chief  commissaire, 
followed  by  two  gendarmes  with  loaded  revolvers.  One 
turned  the  key  and  locked  the  door,  and  the  other  got  the 
order  "  Fermez  la  fenetre."  Apparently  they  thought  I  might 
want  to  jump  out  of  the  window.  After  seeing  that  my  red 
passport  {carnet  d'etranger)  was  properly  vis^,  they  felt  quite 
satisfied,  and  we  parted  good  friends.  I  handed  them  a  long 
cigar  each  for  their  trouble.  There  was  rather  a  comic-opera 
atmosphere  about  the  proceedings,  but  the  danger  of  civilian 
spies  is  very  real,  and  some  officials  get  very  nervous.  Left 
Dormans  for  Reims  by  voiture  from  Bezannes.  Many  more 
troops — artiller3%  infantry,  and  cavalry — at  Bouleuse  since  I 
was  here  last  March.  Stayed  at  Hotel  du  Lion  d'Or  in  Reims 
as  usual. 

Thursday,  September  1th. — The  hospital  has  just  been 
destroyed  by  incendiary  shells.  The  patients  were  removed 
in  time,  but  the  whole  building  was  burnt  out.  Luckily  the 
wind  was  not  blowing  on  to  the  old  church  of  St.  Remi  adjoin- 
ing, or  that,  too,  must  have  gone.  After  lunch.  Mr.  Lloyd 
George,  then  Minister  of  War,  with  his  private  secretary  and 
his  servant  valet,  who  had  been  with  him  many  years  ;  Colonel 


MR.   LLOYD   GEORGE  269 

Sir  Arthur  Lee  (now  Lord  Lee),  whom  I  had  known  in  the 
early  motoring  days ;  M.  Albert  Thomas  (Ministre  des 
Munitions  in  Paris),  and  four  French  officers  as  interpreters 
and  A.D.C.'s,  arrived  at  Reims  from  Epernay.  It  was 
interesting  to  see  any  British  people,  as  I  am  generally 
the  only  Englishman  in  Reims,  apart  from  a  few  in  the 
champagne  and  woollen  houses.  Met  Sir  Arthur  Lee  and 
asked  if  I  could  invite  the  party  to  have  cofifee  and  liqueurs 
in  the  Lion  d'Or.  They  had  had  lunch  at  Epernay.  We 
all  had  a  chat,  and  I  pointed  out  to  JVIr.  Lloyd  George  where 
we  made  the  descent  into  the  rat-ridden  caves.  An  officer 
took  a  snapshot  of  us.  We  found  some  good  Riga  Kummel, 
and  I  had  with  me  some  Corona  cigars  brought  from  England. 
After  a  rest,  we  walked  round  the  sad  ruins  and  the  fire-swept 
Archbishop's  palace.  While  chatting  with  Mr.  Lloyd  George 
I  asked  him  when  he  thought  the  war  would  be  over.  He 
said  he  thought  two  years. ^  No  one  at  the  time  thought  the 
conflict  would  last  so  long,  and  I  concluded  that  his  lack  of 
optimism  was  born  of  prudence  and  precaution,  and  a  deter- 
mination to  go  on  preparing  for  a  real  peace.  We  walked  to 
the  Place  Royale,  where  they  bade  me  adieu,  and  left  for  Bar- 
le-Duc  to  stay  with  General  Petain  and  see  Verdun.  Lovely 
moonlight  night ;  all  still  and  no  guns  firing.  Ruins  lit  up 
by  moonlight,  and  cathedral  and  walls  cast  long  weird 
shadows. 

September  Sth. — Firing  began  in  the  early  morning.  Met 
M.  and  Madame  Tassigny,  and  lunched  with  them  and  MM. 
Ernest  and  Edmond  Goubault.  We  had  an  excellent  meal 
of  cantaloup  melon,  salmon  trout,  langouste,  soup  of  three- 
year-old  Ardennes  ham,  boiled  fowl,  green  walnuts  from 
Epernay  in  a  bowl  of  salt  water  (an  Epernay  dish),  and  cream 
from  the  cow  in  their  garden.  The  wine  was  Heidsieck  Dry 
Monopole,  1904.  My  host  had  a  pretty  house  and  lovely 
old  furniture  ;  in  the  garden  there  was  a  menagerie  of  chickens, 
ducks,  and  geese.  M.  Tassigny,  among  other  activities,  is 
a  manufacturer  of  champagne  bottles,   but  his  factory  has 


^  He  was  not  far  wrong,  as  the  armistice  was  signed  on 
November  11,  1918. 


270  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

been  totally  destroyed  by  the  Prussians.  Motored  out  with 
Captain  Viallar  and  saw  the  artillery  guns  hidden  in  different 
places.  Had  dinner  at  the  club  with  MM.  Robinet,  Farre, 
Lelarge,  the  two  Goubaults,  and  Dr.  Simon.  Received  per- 
mission to  be  out  till  10  p.m. 

Saturday,  September  9th. — A  fine  day.  Madame  Sarah 
Bernhardt  came  here  from  Chalons  with  three  cinema 
operators.  She  was  dressed  like  a  nurse  or  a  Sister  of  Mercy, 
and  acted  with  a  Poilu  in  blue  uniform,  hanging  on  to  the 
rails  and  muttering  as  she  posed  before  Jean  of  Arc's  eques- 
trian statue  facing  the  cathedral.  Engaged  M.  Rothier, 
the  photographer,  to  bring  his  camera  and  took  flashlight 
photos  of  the  life  in  the  cellars.  One  showed  the  children 
singing  a  kind  of  hymn  of  hate  about  Guillaume.  At  7  p.m. 
a  German  Avion  dropped  a  heavy  bomb  at  Ceres,  close  by, 
while  I  was  sitting  in  the  hotel ;  one  person  was  killed  and 
three  wounded,  and  the  stained  glass  of  the  church  windows 
was  shattered. 

Monday,  September  11th  to  September  14:th. — My  time  these 
four  days  has  been  spent  mostly  in  champagne  cellars,  tasting 
the  different  cuvees.  I  have  had  several  chats  with  the 
Cardinal,  a  charming  representative  of  the  Church,  with  open 
countenance  and  white  hair.  Called  on  Hodgson,  a  Yorkshire- 
man  and  manager  of  the  large  firm  of  Holden,  which  carried 
on  woollen  trade  in  Reims,  Lille,  and  Bradford.  He  is  the 
English  Vice-Consul.  Several  times  he  has  had  to  move, 
but  the  sign  of  his  office  over  his  door  has  moved  with  him. 
There  were  many  75  mm,  guns  and  machine  guns  around 
Holden's  premises,  standing  among  flowers  growing  from  seeds 
brought  in  the  wool  from  Australia.  The  75  mm.  guns  now 
are  fired  by  pressing  an  electric  knob,  instead  of  pulling  a 
cord,  as  we  did  a  few  months  ago. 

Thursday,  September  14th. — Left  Reims  in  pair-horse,  com- 
fortable carriage  for  Epernay  at  7  a.m.,  over  Montchenot. 
Had  lunch  with  M.  Goubault  (Moet  and  Chandon's),  and 
met  M.  Ayala  and  his  brother.  Went  by  afternoon  train 
to  Paris,  and  stayed  at  Hotel  Lyon  Palais,  near  the  Gare  du 
Lyon,  a  new  hotel.  Dined  at  the  Cafe  de  la  Paix.  Many 
people  in  Paris,  and  the  cafes  and  restaurants  were  crowded. 


*    o 


371 


SARAH   BERNHARDT— BEAUNE—CHISSY       273 

Friday,  September  \5th. — Left  Paris  for  Beaune  at  7.45 
a.m.,  and  arrived  Beaune  2.14  p.m.  Went  to  Hotel  de  la 
Poste,  which  has  a  very  good  table,  clean  rooms,  and  an 
excellent  garage.  Was  reminded  that  I  stayed  here  with  my 
daughter  Vera  in  1896,  and  saw  the  Paris-Marseilles  race 
pass  through  Beaune.  M.  Klein  dined  with  me.  M.  Passier 
was  away,  and  M.  Duverne  is  mobilized.  Beaune  is  a  charming 
old  French  moated  town.  The  Hospice  de  Beaune  is  well 
known  for  its  famous  painting  of  the  Last  Judgment.  It 
is  a  rich  hospital,  and  the  produce  of  its  vineyards  fetches 
enormous  prices,  as  the  money  goes  to  charity.  During  my 
stay  in  the  Burgundy  district  I  called  on  M.  Grivelet  Cusset, 
courtier  at  Nuits  St.  Georges,  and  went  with  him  to  see 
the  German  prisoners.  Men  of  the  Prussian  Guard  were 
taking  up  weeds  with  spade  and  trowel  among  the  vines. 
About  twenty  prisoners  work  together,  with  one  French 
soldier,  armed  with  rifle  and  long  bayonet,  to  guard  them. 
The  Prussians  keep  their  discipline  in  captivity,  and  when 
the  French  corporal  came  up  to  where  they  were  at  work  in 
the  vineyards,  they  jumped  up  and  saluted  with  great  ala- 
crity. The  prisoners  seemed  strong  and  well  set  up.  They 
wore  the  German  cap  without  peak  and  circled  with  a  red 
band.  Lunched  at  Hotel  de  la  Cloche  at  Dijon,  and  met 
M.  Auguste  Boizel  staying  there  with  his  wife  and  child. 
They  had  come  from  Tunis,  and  M.  Boizel  was  driving  an 
ofl&cer's  automobile.  Prisoners  at  Dijon  were  cutting  wood 
in  the  forests.  Officers  were  interned  in  the  forts  round  the 
town.  Called  on  Madame  Brenot  at  Savigny-les-Beaunes. 
Her  husband  is  serving  as  an  officer  in  heavy  artillery. 

Drove  to  Chissy,  passing  through  Nolay,  where  there  is  a 
fine  chateau  belonging  to  the  son  of  the  assassinated  President 
Carnot.  He  has  spent  much  on  the  old  mansion,  which, 
situated  on  a  rock,  commands  a  fine  view.  Many  statues 
of  Carnot  in  the  town.  Lunched  with  M.  and  Madame  Passier 
at  Chissy  in  a  nice  country  house,  and  returned  by  Autun — 
another  old  French  town.  In  the  hotel  there  they  show  you 
where  Napoleon  I  slept,  and  the  furniture  is  untouched. 
Passed  German  prisoners,  who,  the  day  being  Sunday,  were 


274  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

singing  and  dancing  and  making  coffee  in  their  wire-enclosed 
compound.  The  men  work  in  stone  quarries  and  on  the 
small  banlieu  railway.  Returning  via  Paris,  took  the  8.45 
p.m.  night  boat  from  Boulogne  to  Folkestone.  Amused  at 
Boulogne  to  see  our  Tommies  playing  ball  with  the  children 
on  the  sands  and  fraternizing  with  the  French  women,  though 
the  soldiers'  knowledge  of  the  French  language  is  limited  to 
"  Oui  "  and  "  Non."  Crossing  the  Channel,  put  on  life-belt, 
as  did  the  troops  and  officers  on  board.  No  smoking  was 
allowed  on  deck  and  no  talking  or  singing,  owing  to  sub- 
marines being  about.  There  was  much  signalling  and  use  of 
coloured  lights,  and  the  pilot-boat  kept  a  zigzag  course.  The 
men  cheered  light-heartedly  when  we  made  Folkestone  harbour 
safely. 

At  Easter,  in  1917,  the  Germans  heavily  bom- 
barded Reims.  The  following  account  of  this 
example  of  savagery  is  taken  from  the  diary  of 
Cardinal  Lucon,  the  Archbishop  of  Reims,  with 
whom  I  had  had  the  privilege  of  many  conversa- 
tions : 

Holy  Tuesday,  April  2,  1917. — Intermittent  bombardment 
during  the  morning  ;  continuous  in  the  afternoon.  Between 
10  o'clock  and  midnight  a  shell  wrecks  the  apse  of  the  Clair- 
marais  Chapel,  shatters  the  statue  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  crushes 
the  altar,  and  buries  the  holy  ciborium  and  ten  consecrated 
wafers  beneath  a  block  of  stone.  The  house  of  the  Sisters 
of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  and  the  Orphanage  in  the  Rue  de  Betheny 
are  annihilated  by  ten  big  shells. 

Good  Friday,  April  6ih. — Infernal  bombardment  from  four 
o'clock  onwards  :  7,750  shells  !  Madame  Baudet,  an  admirable 
Christian,  sister  of  M.  le  Cure  of  St.  Benoit,  killed  at  8  p.m. 
in  a  motor-car,  with  the  wife  and  daughter  of  the  sacristan 
of  St.  Remi,  the  chauffeur,  and  a  soldier.  Five  persons  killed 
at  Ste.  Genevieve  as  they  were  leaving  their  cellar. 

Holy  Saturday,  April  lih. — At  4  p.m.  the  great  seminary 


BOMBARDMENT   OF  REIMS  275 

took  fire.  No  water  to  extinguish  the  flames.  The  firemen 
dare  not  approach,  for  the  Germans  are  dropping  four  shells 
a  minute  on  the  building,  keeping  it  up  throughout  the  evening 
and  night.  Two  firemen  were  killed  yesterday,  Friday,  and 
two  others  have  had  their  legs  broken. 

Easter  Day,  April  8th. — The  only  divine  service  was  a  Low 
Mass  at  8.30.  No  vespers.  This  was  fortunate,  for  at  the 
hour  when  it  is  customary  to  chant  them  a  hellish  bombard- 
ment began.  The  Ceres  suburb  is  burnt  down,  or  knocked 
to  pieces  right  and  left  over  the  length  of  half  a  mile.  The 
church  of  St.  Andre  is  ruined,  the  vaults  shattered,  and  the 
walls  knocked  in.  Our  little  seminary  receives  such  a  number 
of  shells  that  it  is  uninhabitable.  The  Church  of  St.  Benoit 
had  its  ceiling  destroyed,  its  walls  knocked  in,  and  its  porch 
and  belfry  wrecked. 

Monday,  April  9th. — Violent  bombardment.  Six  killed, 
seventeen  wounded  :    ten  thousand  shells. 

Saturday,  April  14<A.— Violent  bombardment  from  nine  to 
eleven  o'clock  all  around  us.  Asphyxiating  shells  on  the 
Rue  de  Barbatu  and  Rue  du  Cloitre,  where  Mile  Leparqueur 
is  killed  ;  fifteen  persons  died  from  asphyxiation.  The  lay- 
clerk  of  St.  Remi,  together  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  also 
died,  poisoned  and  asphyxiated. 

Thursday,  April  24:th. — From  nine  till  10.15  o'clock  syste- 
matic bombardment  of  the  cathedral  with  big  calibre  shells, 
many  of  them  305  mm.,  fired  at  regular  intervals.  They 
were  all  manifestly  aimed  at  the  cathedral.  A  great  number 
hit  it,  the  rest  falling  beyond  it,  short  of  it,  to  right  of  it,  and 
on  the  ruins  of  the  Archbishop's  palace  to  left  of  it.  The  cathe- 
dral is  "  assassinated  "  !  The  apse  outside  is  "  massacred  "  ; 
three  fljning  buttresses  are  broken  ;  numerous  pinnacles  trun- 
cated or  knocked  down ;  the  open  galleries  of  the  apse 
of  the  lofty  walls  are  to  a  large  extent  thrown  down.  The 
walls  have  received  such  injuries  that  their  solidity  is  im- 
perilled. The  towers  have  been  seriously  damaged.  Lastly, 
the  vaults  have  fallen  in  in  five  places,  in  the  south  transept, 
in  the  chancel — which  is  in  ruins — and  before  the  pulpit.  The 
font  is  crushed  ;    the  high  altar,  buried  beneath  the  debris  of 


276 


FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 


the  vault,  is  no  longer  visible.     Needless  to  say,  the  stained- 
glass  windows  have  lost  the  few  panes  which  still  remained. 

Anno  Domini  1667-1917. 

This  year  was  a  memorable  and  historic  date 
for  my  firm,  as  we  celebrated  the  two  hundred  and 
fiftieth  year  of  our  foundation.  The  business  has 
been  continuously  carried  on  by  members  of  the 
family  since  the  establishment  to  the  present  day. 

The  following  have  been  the  partners  in  the 
house  of  Hedges  &  Butler : 


A.D. 

1667-1735 


1733-1767 

1735-1767 

1767-1808 

1798-1872 
1835-1844 

1844-1882 

1882  to 
present 
day 


Edmund    Harris,    bom    September    9,    1635,    at 

Charlbury,    Oxon.      Founder    of    the    business 

established  in  Hungerford  Street,  Strand. 
William    Hedges,    of   Wooton,    Oxon,,    married 

Katherine  Killingworth  (of  the  same,  spinster), 

December     27,     1739.     Great-granddaughter    of 

Edmund  Harris. 
William    Killingworth,    nephew    of    Edmund 

Harris. 
Killingworth     Hedges,    nephew    of    William 

Killingworth. 
William  Hedges,  son  of  Killingworth  Hedges. 
William  Killingworth  Hedges,  son  of  William 

Hedges. 
James  Butler,  son-in-law  of  William  Hedges. 
James  William  Butler,  Frank  Hedges  Butler, 

sons    of    James    Butler  ;    Lieut. -Colonel    H. 

Iltid    Nicholl,   D.S.O.,    son-in-law    of    Frank 

Hedges  Butler. 


Three  times  more  before  the  war  was  won  and 
the  armistice  signed  I  had  occasion  to  visit  France. 


1 


277 


A  MEMORABLE  DATE— NANCY  AGAIN     279 

On  June  6,  1917,  I  crossed  from  Southampton 
to  Havre.  Andrews,  the  chief  steward  on  the 
steamer,  recognized  me  as  one  who  had  made  the 
Channel  passage  by  balloon  in  1906,  and  he  gave 
me  a  nice  cabin  to  myseK.  On  June  8th  I  pro- 
ceeded to  Nancy,  passing  many  troop  trains  on 
the  journey  from  Paris.  It  was  a  meatless  day  at 
Nancy  when  I  arrived,  but  the  Restaurant  Stanislas 
produced  anything  but  a  frugal  meal,  in  spite  of 
the  restrictions.  For  dinner  they  offered  me  the 
following : 

Gudgeon  from  Moselle. 

Trout  from  the  Vosges,  in  jelly,  with  sauce  Hollandaise. 

Frogs  (grenouilles). 

Salad  romaine. 

Gnockes  with  eggs  and  cheese. 

Asparagus  (grown  locally). 

Small  strawberries  and  cream. 

Macaroons. 

With  red  wine  from  the  Toul  district  this  made 
a  capital  meal.  Nancy  is  one  of  the  prettiest 
towns  in  France,  and,  dubbed  la  coquette,  it  is 
like  a  girl  who  has  done  no  wrong.  It  escaped 
the  worst  ravages  of  war,  and  in  comparison 
with  such  a  place  as  Dunkirk  on  the  coast  came 
off  very  lightly,  although  the  Germans  were  only 
17  kilometres  away  and  their  aeroplanes  often 
dropped  bombs  on  the  town.  Commerce  at  the 
time  of  my  visit  was  at  a  standstill,  and  not 
many  people  were  about  in  the  streets.  Monu- 
ments were  protected  by  wood  and  sandbags. 
We  had  an  air-raid  alarm  on  the  first  night  of 


280  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

my  visit.  The  tocsin  sounded  and  bells  rang  from 
the  churches  to  warn  the  inhabitants  of  impending 
danger.  On  Sunday,  June  10th,  I  went  to  the 
cathedral,  which  has  a  fine  organ.  Many  war 
widows  were  present  at  the  service.  In  the  town 
I  saw  many  Russians  and  Americans,  most  of  them 
associated  with  the  Flying  Corps,  and  a  number 
of  Chinamen  from  Tonkin,  who  were  working  on 
the  railway. 

On  June  11th  I  called  on  a  number  of  wine- 
growers, but  found  most  of  them  away.  During 
my  stay  in  the  district  I  got  the  idea  that  the 
wines  from  Alsace  and  Lorraine  might  be  useful 
for  the  English  market  after  the  war  had  ended. 
Previous  to  1914  these  wines  were  chiefly  used  by 
Germans  for  blending  with  the  cheaper  hocks  and 
Moselles.  June  12th  found  me  once  again  in 
Epernay,  where  many  people  from  Reims  were 
living.  I  have  the  following  notes  of  my  stay 
there  : 

Tuesday,  June  \2ih. — Drove  to  Boursault  with  M.  Edouard 
Boizel  and  Madame  Jules  Boizel.  At  Boursault,  before  the 
war,  we  had  many  enjoyable  days  in  the  winter,  shooting  the 
wild  boar  (sanglier)  and  deer,  and  the  pheasants  and  rabbits 
in  the  immense  woods.  The  shooting-box  is  very  old,  with 
paintings  of  sport  on  the  walls,  and  an  old  farmyard  kept  by 
M.  and  Madame  Poulet.  After  the  shoot  it  was  nice  to  hear 
the  music  of  the  huntsmen  playing  on  the  corps  de  chasse, 
a  long  horn  which  encircles  the  body.  The  syndicate  con- 
sisted of  six  friends,  and  they  shot  every  Wednesday  and 
Sunday,  each  bringing  his  own  bottle  of  champagne  with  him 
for  the  dejeuner  a  la  fourchette  at  11  a.m.,  before  commencing 
the  shoot.  The  members  were  M.  Edouard  Boizel,  M.  Jules 
Boizel,  M.   Ernest  Goubault,  and  M.   Edmond  Goubault,  M. 


LIFE  IN  THE  CELLARS  281 

Freminet,  and  one  other.  Shooting  is  a  unique  sport  in 
France.  The  property  originally  belonged  to  the  Duchesse 
d'Uzes. 

In  the  evening,  after  dinner,  M.  Auguste  Boizel  came  with 
his  wife,  and  we  made  a  descent  into  the  cellars  to  see  the 
workpeople  and  others  sleeping  and  snoring.  There  were 
many  babies,  but  they  knew  nothing  about  bombs  and  the 
Great  War.  Some  of  the  cellars  were  nicely  warmed  with 
electric  stoves,  and  had  a  pupitre  with  a  bed  and  mattress 
on  top.  The  Taubes  like  a  moonlight  night,  and  forty-three 
bombs  fell  here  the  day  before  yesterday.  The  house  of 
Moet  was  totally  destroyed,  and  one  large  bomb  fell  in  the 
courtyard  of  M.  Gallice  (Perrier-Jouet),  breaking  windows. 
A  notice  in  all  cellars  reads  :  "  Cave  Abri,"  and  indicates 
the  number  of  people  it  will  hold.  Notices  posted  in  the 
town  tell  the  people  what  to  do  when  enemy  aircraft  are 
signalled. 

Wednesday,  June  I3th. — Left  with  Madame  Jules  Boizel  to 
see  her  husband,  who  is  stationed  at  Chalons,  and  lunched 
with  them  at  the  Hotel  Haute  Mere-Dieu.  Many  troops  are 
resting  in  Chalons  and  Epernay.  They  will  be  glad  when 
the  war  is  over,  or  some  great  success  is  gained  like  that  at 
Verdun.  Had  a  swim  with  Jules  in  the  River  Marne.  Nice 
bathing-place,  with  many  rose-trees  and  flowers,  cabins,  and 
garden.  Strong  stream  in  middle.  M.  Walbaum,  of 
Heidsieck's,  came  to  dinner. 

Thursday,  June  I4:th. — Drove  20  kilometres  to  Montmort 
in  a  pair-horse  vehicle,  as  all  motor-cars  are  commandeered. 
Horses  much  teased  by  large  horseflies  in  summer.  Many 
soldiers  en  repos  in  the  country.  They  are  very  tired ;  they 
have  fought  well  during  three  years,  and  the  English  and 
Americans  must  now  take  a  leading  part  in  finishing  the 
war.  Passed  in  a  village  a  heavy  battery  of  artillery  pulled 
by  huge  motor-cars.  Corn  and  ricolte  look  promising  for 
good  harvest.  Arrived  Montmort,  where  German  prisoners 
were  cutting  wood.  Had  lunch  with  Madame  Edouard  Boizel, 
who  as  a  young  married  girl  had  the  German  officers  in  her 
house  at  Epernay  for  many  months  during  the  1870  war. 

12 


<3      CJL  ie    "^ 


282  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Called  on  M.  Maurice  Pol  Roger,  mayor  of  Epernay.  He 
gave  me  some  interesting  German  and  French  war  posters. 
Left  for  Paris. 

The  next  journey  was  in  December  of  1917,  and 
on  the  third  day  of  the  month  I  was  once  again 
at  the  Lion  d'Or  in  Reims.  M.  and  Madame 
Louis  Barrois,  whose  house  had  been  destroyed, 
were  now  in  charge  of  the  hotel,  and  Madame 
proved  an  excellent  chef.  There  was  no  glass 
left  in  the  hotel,  and  window  frames  were 
boarded  up  with  wood  and  cardboard.  My  meals 
had  to  be  taken  in  the  kitchen,  and  were  supple- 
mented with  the  provisions  I  had  brought  from 
England.  The  hardship  was  more  apparent  than 
real,  for  the  kitchen  of  the  Lion  d'Or  was  very  large, 
and,  in  fact,  famous  in  France.  It  was  provided 
with  enormous  copper  utensils.  Stewing-pans  and 
saucepans  hung  on  the  walls,  and  there  were  spits 
to  cook  the  joints  before  the  old  range.  During 
the  aviation  week  at  Reims  in  1909  twenty  chefs 
were  employed  in  the  kitchen  and  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dinners  were  served  at  a  time.  I  saw  a  great 
change  in  the  city  since  my  visit  earlier  in  the 
year.  When  I  went  inside  the  cathedral  I  was 
saddened  by  the  damage  caused  during  the  bom- 
bardments of  April  and  August.  Met  there  M. 
Simon,  an  artist  in  stained  glass,  who  was  making 
drawings  to  replace  the  destroyed  glass  when  the 
cathedral  could  be  restored.  There  were  enormous 
holes  in  the  roof,  and  unexploded  shells  were 
strewn  about  the  floor.  The  sanctity  of  the  cathe- 
dral had  gone  in  one  way,  and  yet  it  remamed 
impressive  in  its  desolation.     Reims  the  city  was 


283 


i 


REIMS  CATHEDRAL  AND   CITY  285 

a  dead  place.  Only  5,000  inhabitants  still  re- 
mained, and  half  of  this  number,  poverty  stricken, 
were  dependent  on  the  municipality  and  the  mili- 
tary for  maintenance.  To  supply  their  wants  and 
those  of  the  soldiers,  a  few  shops  still  remained 
open,  and  the  women  clung  tenaciously  to  their 
stalls  in  the  market,  where  they  offered  for  sale 
fruit,  vegetables,  fish,  and  even  flowers.  The 
Sisters  of  Charity  had  a  large  shop  like  a  Bon 
Marche.  Prices  were  reasonable,  and  good  vin 
rouge  militaire  could  be  had  at  1  franc  40  centimes. 
No  cabs  were  left  in  the  city.  Reims  was,  like 
Pompeii  and  Herculaneum,  a  city  of  ruins.  On 
the  day  of  my  arrival  there  was  firing  on  both 
sides,  and  in  a  village  outside  Reims  civilians  had 
been  killed  that  morning.  On  December  5th 
Madame  Pfeister,  the  proprietress  of  the  Lion 
d'Or,  arrived  from  Paris.  I  wrote  letters  in  the 
kitchen  close  to  the  wood-fire.  There  was  little 
or  no  coal  to  be  had.  Madame  Barrois  cooked  a 
capital  meal  while  shells  were  shrieking  overhead 
with  the  same  nonchalance  as  she  might  have  done 
if  a  band  had  been  playing  in  a  restaurant.  MM. 
Baudet,  Stanford,  and  Mazzuchi  lunched  with 
me,  and  enjoyed  the  York  ham  and  English  smoked 
tongue  I  had  brought  with  me  from  London. 
Madame  Baudet  had  given  her  life  as  a  sacrifice 
to  France  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  She  was 
travelling  in  her  motor  ;  she  stopped  to  pick  up  a 
wounded  soldier,  and  before  a  fresh  start  could 
be  made  a  shell  burst  and  killed  Madame  Baudet 
and  two  young  ladies  who  were  with  her.  Madame 
Baudet   had  remained   in   Reims  throughout   the 


286  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

siege.  She  was  a  brave  and  heroic  woman.  On 
December  6th  I  had  lunch  with  M.  Baudet  in 
the  basement  of  his  house.  The  upper  stories  had 
been  destroyed  in  the  bombardment.  In  the 
evening  I  dined  with  M.  Duntze,  manager  for 
Heidsieck's  Dry  Monopole,  at  the  Lion  d'Or.  We 
drank  Heidsieck  1900,  and  I  was  greatly  interested 
in  his  account  of  life  in  Reims.  Late  at  night 
there  was  a  renewal  of  the  bombardment.  Lunched 
the  following  day  with  M.  Mazzuchi,  and  met 
Madame  Lambert,  President  of  the  Prisoners  of 
War  Fund.  I  was  elected  an  honorary  member  of 
the  C.D.C.Q.S.R.  Club,  founded  by  Mazzuchi 
(Club  de  Ceux  qui  sont  Restes),  literally  a  club  of 
those  who  had  remained.  I  always  met  the  same 
friends  in  Reims.  Most  of  the  champagne  pro- 
prietors had  left  and  opened  offices  in  Paris.  At 
this  time  there  was  much  water  in  the  cellars,  as 
no  pumping  operations  were  attempted ;  but  the 
flooding  made  no  difference  to  the  wine,  as  only 
the  first  corks  were  in  the  bottles.  I  returned  to 
London  on  December  11th. 

It  was  on  May  30,  1918,  Corpus  Christi  Day, 
that  I  set  foot  in  Havre  on  my  last  war  tour  of  the 
country  of  our  great  and  gallant  ally.  The  news 
from  the  front  that  morning  was  not  good.  The 
Germans  were  in  Soissons  and  nearer  Reims.  I 
reached  Paris  in  the  evening  and  drove  to  the 
Grand  Hotel.  Just  as  I  arrived  the  alarm  was 
given  of  an  air  raid,  and  people  staying  in  the 
hotel,  some  haK-dressed,  came  rushing  down  the 
staircase  to  find  places  of  safety  in  the  basement. 
I  preferred  my  bed,  but  had  to  walk  upstairs,  as 


REIMS,   I917. 


A  SHELL-HOLE  IN  FRONT  OF  THE   CATHEDRAL. 
POILUS  IN   CRATER  OF   HOLE. 


iP/iotff  by  Rotkier. 
AUTHOR  AND 


287 


AN  AIR  RAID— AMERICAN  TROOPS        289 

the  lift  had  ceased  working.  Once  in  bed  I  slept 
well,  in  spite  of  the  racket  of  the  anti-aircraft  guns. 
On  May  31st  I  visited  the  Madeleine  Church,  and 
saw  how  the  head  of  a  statue  of  a  saint  outside 
the  church  had  been  decapitated  by  a  shell  from 
*'  Big  Bertha."  Only  the  head  had  been  touched. 
The  remainder  of  the  statue  remained  undamaged. 
We  gave  a  promise  not  to  raid  Cologne  from  the 
air  on  Corpus  Christi  Day,  but  the  Hun  had  no 
compunction  over  bombarding  Paris  during  this 
prominent  festival  of  the  Catholic  Church.  There 
was  another  air  raid  over  Paris  during  the  night 
of  May  31st.  On  June  2nd  the  Germans  were  at 
Chateau-Thierry,  only  42  miles  from  Paris,  and 
many  Paris  residents  were  departing  to  places 
which  were  not  threatened.  I  left  in  the  morning 
for  Bordeaux,  which  I  found  crowded  with  Ameri- 
can soldiers,  arriving  in  thousands  for  the  con- 
templated "  big  push."  The  Americans  were 
splendid  young  men  with  fine  physique,  and  all 
were  under  thirty-one  years  of  age.  On  June  4':h 
I  went  on  to  Biarritz.  Passed  through  the  Landes 
country,  where  the  peasants  use  stilts,  owing  to 
the  thick  soft  sand.  It  was  a  beautiful  cool  even- 
ing, and  the  scent  of  the  pines  reached  us  in  the 
train.  I  remembered  how  I  came  over  here  in 
a  balloon  race  in  1907,  and  trailed  over  this  part 
of  the  country  with  Charlie  Rolls  and  Captain 
Grubb  in  a  race  from  Brussels.  Forty-two  balloons 
started  on  the  adventure,  and  we  came  in  fourth, 
after  discarding  bottles,  a  folding  chair,  sandbags, 
and  practically  everything  we  carried  to  make  the 
balloon   lighter.     At    Biarritz    it    quickly    became 


290  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

apparent  that  the  people  were  far  from  realizing 
that  the  greatest  war  in  history  was  being  fought. 
I  did  not  stay  there  long,  but  set  out  en  route  for 
Algeciras.  On  arrival  at  the  borders  of  Spain, 
however,  I  found  the  frontier  closed,  and  had  to 
leave  the  train  and  stay  at  the  Hotel  Eskualduna, 
facing  the  sea,  with  other  stranded  Englishmen. 
Captain  Paul,  the  English  officer  in  charge  of  the 
Bureau  Anglais,  was  most  diligent  and  courteous 
in  helping  passengers.  No  one  was  staying  at 
Hendaye.  The  Casino  was  being  used  as  a  Por- 
tuguese hospital  and  the  villas  were  empty.  One 
might  have  been  stranded,  however,  in  a  worse 
place.  There  were  fine  sands,  which  allowed  good 
sea-bathing,  palms  and  tropical  plants  in  the 
gardens,  and  pleasant  woods,  rich  with  sweetly 
scented  honeysuckle  and  other  flowers,  behind  the 
town.  The  Basque  people  are  a  hardy  race  and 
wear  picturesque  costumes. 

I  stayed  for  a  week,  hoping  that  the  frontier 
would  open,  and  then  reluctantly  had  to  turn 
back.  Incidentally,  I  sacrificed  the  unused  coupons 
of  a  return  first-class  ticket  to  Algeciras,  for  which 
I  could  get  no  refund.  The  purchase  of  through 
tickets  from  tourist  agencies  in  war-time  is  not  a 
practice  to  be  recommended.  On  June  1 5th  I 
drove  in  a  two-horsed  carriage  to  the  old  town  of 
Bayonne.  The  use  of  motor-cars  was  prohibited. 
My  coachman  wore  the  old  Basque  dress  of  red 
cloth,  with  silver  buttons  and  a  top-shaped  hat. 
Bayonne  has  quaintly  charming  streets,  with  houses 
painted  in  different  colours.  It  is  more  Spanish 
than  French  in  appearance.     To   an  Englishman 


4 


ALGECIRAS— DIJON— NANCY  291 

the  town  has  pecuUar  interest,  for  men  of  the  Cold- 
stream Guards  were  buried  in  the  cemetery  during 
the  Peninsular  War  in  1814.  On  June  16th  I 
reached  Bordeaux,  and  the  next  day  went  on  to 
Paris.  Bankers  with  their  books  had  left  the 
capital,  and  jewellers'  shops  in  the  Rue  de  la  Paix 
were  closed.  The  people  seemed  very  confident, 
however,  and  were  expecting  that  Foch  would 
before  long  turn  the  tables  on  the  Germans. 

A  few  days  later  I  travelled  to  Dijon,  and  at 
the  Hotel  de  la  Cloche  there  saw  many  American 
officers.  Trains  crowded  with  American  troops, 
with  their  regimental  bands,  passed  through  the 
station  continuously.  The  work  of  unloading 
trucks  for  the  American  Army  was  being  carried 
on  by  negroes  from  Carolina  and  Virginia.  After 
transacting  business  at  Beaune,  I  paid  another 
visit  to  Nancy.  Few  residents  remained  in  the 
town,  but  the  place  was  full  of  American  soldiers 
and  the  officers  and  men  of  the  English  Royal  Air 
Force.  From  Nancy  I  proceeded  to  Epernay. 
The  Germans  were  then  at  Dormans,  only  10 
kilometres  away,  and  Epernay  was  threatened. 
Much  damage  had  been  done  to  the  town,  and  the 
fine  church  had  suffered  severely.  Most  of  the 
champagne  staffs  had  removed  to  Avize.  All 
through  the  day  people  were  loading  their  furni- 
ture into  carts  or  taking  their  possessions  to  the 
railway  to  be  sent  away.  I  had  lunch  with  Jules 
Boizel  at  the  Hotel  d'Angleterre  at  Chalons,  and 
visited  the  cemetery  there,  where  six  thousand 
French  soldiers  are  buried.  Returning  home  by 
Paris,   I   was  caught  in   an   air  raid.     One  bomb 


292  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

fell  in  the  Place  Venr'ome,  but  did  not  injure  the 
famous  column.  At  the  end  of  the  month  I  was 
back  in  England,  with  the  war  situation  very 
serious.  Happily,  another  month  saw  the  great 
change,  and  by  September  we  knew  that  France 
was  saved. 


CHAPTER  XII 

LAND  AND  AIR  JOURNEYS  IN  1919 

When  next  I  left  England,  five  months  had  passed 
since  the  signing  of  the  armistice  terms,  and  the 
enormous  armies  built  up  during  the  war  were 
being  rapidly  demobilized.  Much  remained  to 
remind  one,  however,  of  the  world  conflict  and  its 
horrors.  I  set  out  from  Tilbury  on  April  17th, 
by  the  P.  and  O.  steamer  Khiva,  of  9,600  tons,  for 
Gibraltar.  The  blue  ensign  was  flying,  and  off 
Margate  I  saw  a  lightship  displaying  in  big  letters 
the  word  "  Wreck  "  where  some  luckless  ship  had 
met  disaster  by  mine  or  submarine.  In  the 
cabins  and  saloons  of  the  Khiva  notices  were  still 
displayed  giving  instructions  as  to  the  procedure 
to  be  followed  by  passengers  in  case  of  emergency 
and  the  abandoning  of  the  ship.  The  terms  of 
the  notice  must  be  familiar  to  thousands  of 
people  who  ventured  on  the  seas  when  the  sea 
was  a  dangerous  highway,  but  as  a  record  I 
reproduce  them  here  : 

In  case  of  emergency  and  having  to  abandon  ship,  the  alarm 
signal  being  sounded  (seven  short  blasts  on  steam  whistle), 
passengers  are  immediately  to  put  on  their  life- belts  and  to 
repair  to  their  stations.     All  male  passengers  will  proceed  to 

293 


294  -FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

their  respective  boats,  the  number  of  which  is  given  by  notices 
placed  in  cabins.  All  first  saloon  women  and  children  are 
to  muster  in  the  first-class  music -room  ;  second  saloon  women 
and  children  in  first  saloon  smoking-room,  where  they  are  to 
wait  until  placed  in  boats  and  lowered  down  from  hurricane 
deck  rail.  Only  women  and  children  and  sick  and  infirm 
persons  will  be  lowered  from  the  rail  in  boats  ;  others  will 
have  to  go  down  over  the  ship's  side  by  the  ladder  and  ropes 
provided  for  that  purpose.  All  passengers  are  requested  to 
attend  boat  stations  at  10.30  a.m.,  when  the  whistle  signal 
will  be  given. 

My  boat  was  No.  2  on  the  port  side.  The  sub- 
marine peril,  happily,  was  passed ;  the  "  U " 
boats,  tamely  surrendered  by  a  beaten  enemy, 
had  been  collected  at  Harwich  and  sent  for  ex- 
hibition as  trophies  to  the  ports  of  England  and 
France.  The  menace  of  the  stray  mine  still  lin- 
gered, but  the  passengers  gave  little  thought  to 
it.  Life  on  board  was  homely  and  comfortable,  as 
in  the  blithe  days  before  the  war  cloud  burst  over 
Europe,  and  the  voyage  Avas  thoroughly  enjoyable. 
Most  of  the  passengers  were  proceeding  to  Bombay 
or  Kurrachee.  Previously  the  Khiva  had  been 
carrying  troops  to  New  York. 

We  made  Gibraltar,  looking  in  the  distance  like 
a  crouching  lion  with  its  head  and  paws  pointing 
towards  Africa,  at  5.30  a.m.  on  April  22nd.  Later 
in  the  morning  I  crossed  to  Tangiers  and  went  to 
the  Continental  Hotel.  Geraniums  were  growing 
wild,  and  the  cliffs  glowed  with  a  mass  of  red 
bloom.  In  the  town  there  was  a  delicious  scent 
of  orange  blossoms.  It  was  impossible  to  rest 
among  so  much  that  was  beautiful,  and  I  promptly 
hired  a  mule  and  set  off  for  a  ride  through  the 


GIBRALTAR— TANGIERS  295 

narrow  streets  to  well-remembered  suburbs,  where 
nightingales  sing  in  the  gardens,  and  fields  are 
carpeted  with  wild  flowers  of  every  colour.  Before  I 
turned  I  reached  Mount  Washington,  and  had  a 
glimpse  of  the  lovely  gardens  round  the  Sultan's 
palace.  Moorish  cavalry  with  fine  Barbary  and 
Arab  horses  were  passed  on  the  road.  The  troops 
had  both  French  and  Spanish  officers,  wearing  pic- 
turesque uniforms.  I  also  met  a  convoy  returning 
from  the  region  where  Spanish  soldiers  were 
fighting  Raisuli  and  the  Riff  tribes. 

Thursday,  April  24th,  was  the  Feast  of  Ramadan, 
and  all  through  the  night  a  man  in  the  tower  of 
the  mosque,  with  a  loud  but  remarkably  musical 
voice,  chanted  the  Koran  and  called  the  Faithful 
to  prayer  to  Allah.  It  was  weird  to  hear  the  call 
in  the  first  still  hours  of  the  morning.  Tangiers 
seemed  to  be  little  altered  since  the  period  of  my 
first  visit  in  1876,  except  that  more  roads  had 
been  constructed  and  that  a  few  modern  buildings 
had  been  added.  The  Moorish  population  never 
changes.  The  town  has  a  fine  mole  and  promenade 
along  the  sea  front.  For  a  spring  resort  Tangiers 
can  hardly  be  equalled.  The  temperature  is  equiva- 
lent to  that  of  our  summer.  Motorists  will  find  a 
good  road  to  Rabat,  and  the  train  runs  to  Fez. 
Good  hotels  have  been  built  at  Casablanca  since 
the  French  occupied  the  country.  After  a  pleasant 
stay  I  took  the  Bland  Line  boat  back  to  Gibraltar, 
and  crossed  to  Algeciras,  where  I  stayed  at  the 
beautiful  English-looking  hotel,  the  Reina  Chris- 
tina, which  has  palm-trees  and  gardens,  and  com- 
mands a  good  view  of  the  Rock  of  Gibraltar. 


I 


296  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

On  Saturday,  April  26th,  I  took  the  train  to 
Granada  via  Ronda,  and  obtained  a  good  room 
at  the  Alhambra  Palace  Hotel,  one  of  the  finest 
and  best  situated  in  the  country.  There  was  no 
lack  of  food  in  Spain,  and  it  came  as  a  luxury  to  get 
excellent  butter.  The  Spanish  seem  to  have  done 
well  during  the  war,  and  have  prospered  by  selling 
fruit,  vegetables,  and  wine  to  the  Allies.  After 
two  or  three  comparatively  idle  but  delightful 
days,  I  continued  my  journey  to  Seville,  where 
the  fair  was  in  progress.  I  could  recall  the  fair 
in  the  old  days,  when  carriages  carrying  ladies  in 
white  and  black  mantillas  proceeded  at  a  walking 
pace  up  and  down  the  promenade.  Motor-cars 
now  mixed  with  the  carriages,  and  the  romance 
seemed  to  have  been  spoiled.  At  night,  however, 
there  was  noise  and  colour  and  light  in  plenty. 
Electric  lamps  were  swung  across  the  streets,  and 
in  booths  and  pavilions  the  people  danced  light- 
heartedly.  Gaiety  and  music,  it  may  be,  were 
romance  enough  for  the  men  and  women  who 
enjoyed  the  fair. 

I  could  not  linger  in  Seville,  and  on  May  2nd 
I  left  for  Jerez  de  la  Frontera,  the  great  shipping 
centre  for  sherry,  where  many  years  before  I  had 
been  taught  what  I  know  of  Amontillados,  Manza- 
nillas,  Olorosos,  and  Amorosos,  and  had  learned 
Spanish.  I  renewed  acquaintance  with  many  old 
friends,  and  went  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spencer  to 
the  Horse  Show.  This  part  of  Spain  is  noted  for 
horses  as  well  as  for  sherries,  and  I  saw  some  fine 
animals.  Throughout  a  whole  Saturday  I  was 
occupied  in  going  round  the  bodegas,  where  the 


GRANADA— SEVILLE— MADRID  297 

wine  is  stored,  and  then  I  returned  to  Seville  on 
my  way  to  Madrid.  At  Seville  I  attended  a  bull- 
fight on  the  last  day  of  the  fair.  If  one  does  not 
look  at  the  horses,  a  bull-fight  is  an  interesting 
spectacle,  as  the  picadors  and  toreadors  are  not 
lacking  in  daring  and  bravery.  It  is  a  sickening 
sight,  however,  to  see  a  poor  animal  gored  by 
a  bull.  The  people  at  a  fight  are  not  so  pictur- 
esque to  see  as  once  was  the  case.  The  majority 
of  the  spectators  are  about  as  characteristic  as  a 
massed  crowd  watching  a  London  football  match. 
The  men  wear  straw  hats,  and  it  is  rare  to  see  a 
woman  with  the  mantilla,  except  on  special  occa- 
sions when  the  King  and  Queen  and  Grandees  of 
Spain  attend. 

My  stay  in  Madrid  was  short,  as  I  went  there 
only  to  get  my  passport  vised  for  Portugal,  but 
I  had  time  to  see  Murillo's  famous  paintings  in 
the  Prado  Museum.  The  first  impression  I  got  in 
Portugal  was  that  the  railway  carriages  were  very 
dirty — almost  as  dirty  as  the  children  who  came  up 
to  the  carriage  windows  to  beg.  I  reached  Oporto 
on  May  7th,  and  found  in  the  harbour  many 
Danish  and  Norwegian  boats  taking  in  cargoes  of 
port  wine  to  replace  the  dried  cod-fish  which  they 
had  landed.  Roman  Catholic  countries  import 
large  quantities  of  dried  fish  for  consumption  on 
Fridays  and  fasting  days.  Met,  among  many 
leading  residents  of  Oporto,  my  old  friend  Augustus 
Morgan,  who  put  my  name  down  once  again  for 
the  Factory  Club,  one  of  the  oldest  English  clubs 
in  Europe.  At  the  hotel  in  the  evening,  Royahsts 
and  Republicans  were  dining  together  in  the  same 


298  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

room.  A  month  previously  there  had  been  a 
revolutionary  outbreak,  but  it  had  been  settled, 
and  outwardly  at  least  there  was  no  ill-will  between 
the  opposing  factions.  Nevertheless,  the  uncer- 
tain political  situation  made  it  necessary  to  get  a 
special  police  permit  for  a  car  before  I  could  leave 
for  a  journey  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles  by 
road  for  Pinhao. 

On  May  13th  I  was  at  Bordeaux,  where  I 
renewed  acquaintance  with  many  friends.  Three 
days  later  I  saw  Paris  under  peace  conditions 
for  the  first  time  in  five  years.  The  chestnuts 
were  in  full  bloom  in  the  Bois,  but  the  streets 
were  greatly  changed  from  their  appearance 
on  the  occasion  of  my  last  visit,  when  the 
Germans  were  only  42  miles  away.  Prices  had 
risen  since  the  armistice,  and  some  of  them 
were  decidedly  exagere.  On  Sunday,  May  18th,  I 
ventured  on  a  conducted  day  excursion  to  the 
regions  devastated  by  the  Bodies.  The  tour  was 
arranged  by  the  railway  company,  and  I  can 
imagine  that  for  years  to  come  it  will  be  an  educa- 
tive pilgrimage  for  thousands  of  Frenchmen  and 
the  people  of  the  Allied  nations.  I  saw  Albert, 
Arras  Cathedral,  and  the  Lens  mining  district, 
where  everything  had  been  destroyed.  Little  had 
been  cleared  up,  and  in  the  battle  zone  barbed 
wire,  tanks,  munition  dumps,  and  shells  remained 
as  they  were  left  when  hostilities  ceased.  Warn- 
ings not  to  go  off  the  beaten  track  were  very  neces- 
sary, as  many  live  shells  were  lying  about. 

Albert  and  Arras  were  new  ground  for  me. 
On   May    19th    I    was    once    again    in    Epernay, 


STRASBOURG— MAYENCE— WIESBADEN    299 

and  among  the  people  with  whom,  during  the 
war,  I  had  occasionally  listened  to  the  brutal 
noise  of  battle.  The  following  day  I  motored 
to  Reims  through  Ay  and  Pompelle  forts. 
Reims  I  found  totally  destroyed.  Nothing  but 
skeleton  walls  remained,  and  of  the  Hotel  du  Lion 
d'Or  not  even  a  wall  was  standing.  The  martyr- 
dom of  a  famous  city  was  complete.  German 
prisoners  were  taking  out  debris  from  the  cathedral, 
but  the  collection  of  debris  is  far  from  restoration. 
A  new  Reims  will  be  built,  and  one  may  trust 
that  German  money  will  pay  for  the  wanton  and 
wicked  destruction  of  the  German  Army.  Around 
the  ruins  of  the  city  are  hundreds  of  crosses 
marking  the  graves  cf  French  and  also  English 
soldiers. 

It  was  with  a  peculiar  sense  of  satisfaction  that 
I  continued  my  journey  through  Chalons  and 
Nancy  to  the  restored  city  of  Strasbourg.  The 
French  have  received  back  a  magnificent  and  much 
improved  city,  compared  with  the  place  they  gave 
up  to  Germany  after  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 
There  is  now  a  fine  railway  station,  stone-built 
houses,  and  good  roads  and  tramways.  The  town 
is  kept  very  clean.  I  stayed  at  the  Hotel  Maison 
Rouge,  where  I  had  been  in  1873,  but  the  premises 
had  been  rebuilt.  After  a  day  there  I  passed  on 
to  Mayence  and  Wiesbaden,  where  the  French 
race  week  was  on.  I  went  to  the  meeting,  and  saw 
Marshal  Foch  there.  In  the  evening  I  continued 
my  journey  down  the  Rhine,  passing  Assmans- 
hausen,  Rudesheim,  Bingen,  and  Niederwald  (where 
there  is  a  statue  of  Germania)  to  Coblenz.     Car- 


L 


800  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

riages  were  reserved  in  the  train  for  Allied  officers, 
so  that  they  would  not  have  to  fraternize 
with  the  Germans.  Very  few  Englishmen  were 
travelling,  as  passports  for  trading  purposes  in 
Germany  had  not  been  issued.  The  French 
hatred  of  the  Germans  was  much  more  pronounced 
than  that  of  our  troops.  Frenchmen,  of  course, 
have  cause  for  their  bitterness,  but  beyond  this, 
the  British  temperament  is  different  to  that  of  our 
Gallic  friends.  I  met  one  of  our  Tommies  with 
two  little  German  children  clinging  to  his  hands. 

Coblenz  was  in  the  American  area,  and  the 
Provost-Marshal  gave  me  a  card  for  a  room  at 
the  Hotel  Hansa.  My  meals  I  obtained  at  the 
American  officers'  quarters  at  the  Excelsior  and 
Metropole  Hotels.  We  got  very  good  porridge, 
pancakes,  and  other  American  dishes  for  breakfast. 
Called  on  Alexander  Hasslacher,  an  Englishman, 
who  was  interned  in  Germany  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war.  Outside  Berlin,  the  Rhine  provinces 
displayed  the  Prussian  spirit  more  than  any  part 
of  Germany,  and  now  they  have  had  to  suffer  for 
their  foolishness.  The  Kaiser  before  his  fall  was 
idolized  by  the  people  of  Coblenz.  Huge  portraits 
of  the  refugee  Emperor  still  hung  on  the  walls  in 
many  houses,  and  most  of  the  streets  seemed  to 
be  named  after  the  Kaiser  or  some  princeling. 
Calling  on  Mr.  Carl  Wegeler  and  his  son  Julius  at 
their  offices,  I  learned  that  1915  was  a  record 
year  for  hocks  and  Moselles.  Germany,  to  me,  j 
seemed  to  be  still  a  rich  country.  Every  little 
corner  and  patch  of  ground  was  cultivated  and 
factories  were  in  full  activity.     There  ought  to  be 


COBLENZ— COLOGNE  801 

no  difficulty  over  the  ultimate  payment  of  the  war 
indemnity. 

I  telephoned  from  Coblenz  to  General  Sir  William 
Robertson  (now  Field-Marshal),  the  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  British  Army  of  the  Rhine,  and  he 
kindly  invited  me  to  stay  with  him  for  a  few  days 
in  Cologne.  I  arrived  in  the  British  area  on 
May  24th,  and  found  that  Headquarters  at  Cologne 
were  at  the  Excelsior  Hotel.  The  Commander-in- 
Chief's  private  residence  was  at  Marienberg,  close 
to  the  golf  links.  The  house  belonged  to  a  German 
steel  magnate,  but  the  Union  Jack  flew  over  the 
roof.  I  had  a  splendid  room  overlooking  the 
Rhine  and  gardens.  The  hall  and  staircase  of 
the  house  were  of  fine  marble,  and  there  was  a 
luxurious  sunk  marble  bath.  I  had  lunch,  and  was 
introduced  to  Sir  William  Robertson's  private 
secretary,  Colonel  Dillon,  and  his  A.D.C.'s,  Captain 
Peek,  9th  Lancers,  and  Captain  Graham  de  Burgh. 
In  the  afternoon  I  visited  the  cathedral  and  went  for 
a  motor  drive  round  Cologne.  About  100,000  British 
troops  were  in  the  area  to  ensure  that  the  armis- 
tice terms  were  observed.  The  shops  were  full  of 
every  kind  of  merchandise,  and  as  the  mark  even 
then  was  worth  little  more  than  twopence,  Zeiss 
and  Voigtlander  field-glasses,  cameras,  and  razors 
and  knives  from  Solhngen  could  be  bought  very 
cheaply.  Life  for  the  Army  of  Occupation  was 
quite  pleasant.  In  the  cool  of  the  everting  tennis 
was  played.  Birds  were  singing  in  the  trees  and 
there  was  a  rich  scent  of  hawthorn  and  roses.  No 
officers'  wives  or  English  ladies  were  at  this  time 
allowed   in  the  AUied  zone,  but  it  was  expected 

18 


802  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

that  permission  for  visits  would  shortly  be  given. 
Newspapers  and  letters  arrived  from  England 
about  4  p.m.  by  aeroplane,  the  delivery  from 
London  being  as  expeditious  as  if  the  mail  had 
been  sent  to  a  North  of  England  town.  On  the 
Sunday  I  went  to  service  at  the  cathedral,  and 
afterwards  visited  the  headquarters  of  the  Royal 
Naval  motor-boats  at  the  club  house  on  the  Rhine. 
These  motor-launches  did  excellent  work  in  the 
war  in  hunting  the  submarines,  and  they  were 
used  on  the  Euphrates  in  the  Mesopotamia  cam- 
paign, and  on  the  inland  lakes  of  Africa.  In  Ger- 
many they  patrolled  the  Rhine  and  excited  much 
attention  from  the  resident  population.  Germans 
at  this  period  of  the  occupation  were  not  allowed 
to  travel  in  the  pleasure  boats  on  the  river,  and 
the  steamers  were  used  only  by  the  American  and 
British  troops.  On  May  26th  I  drove  with  Captain 
de  Burgh  in  a  Rolls-Royce  car  to  Coblenz  and 
Boppard.  At  Coblenz  I  called  on  Messrs.  Dein- 
hard  and  Co.,  and  started  a  new  "  peace  page " 
in  their  visitors'  book,  which  contained  autographs 
of  the  Kaiser,  Hindenburg,  and  Tirpitz. 

The  Rhine  for  many  centuries  has  been  noted 
for  its  wines — ^the  Schloss-Johannesberg,  once  the 
property  of  the  Church,  and  the  Prince  of  Orange  ; 
^^^  the  Steinberger-Cabinet  rivalling  the  former,  and 
some  wines  fetching  a  higher  price  than  the 
Johannesberg.  The  Rhine  wines  are  diuretic  in 
quality,  and  the  Germans  say  of  the  Moselle, 
"Keep  off  the  doctor."  They  are  remarkable  for 
promoting  cheerfulness  in  the  natives  who  have 
a  saying  : 


RHINE  WINES-^BY  AIR  TO  ENGLAND    308 

"  Rhein-wein,  fein  wein  ;  Neckar-wein,  lecker  wein ;  Franken- 
wein,  tranken  wein;  Mosel-wein,  unnosel  wein." 

("Rhine  wine  is  good;  Neckar,  pleasant;  Franconia,  bad; 
Moselle,  innocent.") 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note,  in  referring  to 
old  ledgers,  the  following  prices  were  paid  by  my 
firm  in  1902  for  the  King's  service  (H.M.  King 
Edward  VII)  : 

12  dozen  Steinberger  Cabinet  Beeren  Auslese  at  480/- ;  duty 

paid ;  1893  vintage. 
12      ,,      Schloss  Johannesberger  Fineste  Beeren  Auslese  at 
365/- ;  1893  vintage. 
1       „      Rudesheim  Schlossberg  Selected  Grapes  at  166/- ; 
1893  vintage. 
100      „      Berncastler  Doctor. 

The  next  day  I  went  with  General  Robertson  to 
inspect  an  aeroplane  squadron,  and  was  intro- 
duced to  Major  Salmon. 

I  had  the  privilege  of  flying  from  Cologne  to 
England  on  my  return  journey.  After  bidding 
adieu  to  Sir  William  Robertson  on  May  28th,  I 
motored  to  the  Merkheim  Aerodrome,  and  after 
watching  aeroplanes  starting  with  mails  for  home, 
took  my  place  in  a  Haviland  D.H.9.  The  pilot 
was  Lieutenant  R.  L.  Barbour.  We  carried  lunch 
with  us  and  a  few  pints  of  Melnotte  1906  chaij|^^^ 
pagne  to  drink  the  toast  of  "  The  Royal  Air  Force  " 
when  we  arrived  at  Kenley  Aerodrome.  The 
journey  could  not  have  been  easier,  and  was  to 
me  a  great  justification  of  the  invincible  belief 
which,  fifteen  years  before,  I  had  entertained 
concerning  the  future  of  the  aeroplane.     We  passed 


804  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

over  Liege  and  Charleroi,  following  the  Meuse  at 
a  steady  altitude  of  about  5,000  feet.  In  the 
vicinity  of  Mons  one  could  see  the  old  trench  lines 
and  country  pitted  with  shell-holes.  Near  the  coast 
we  rose  higher,  and  came  over  the  sea  between 
Boulogne  and  Wimereux.  Pilots  like  to  cross  the 
Channel  at  a  considerable  altitude,  as,  in  the  event 
of  engine  trouble,  they  can  plane  down  one  mile 
for  each  1,000  feet  dropped,  and  this  margin  would 
generally  be  sufficient  for  land  to  be  made.  We 
rode  through  the  air  above  a  bank  of  cloud,  but 
there  were  breaks  through  which  we  caught  glimpses 
of  the  sea  and  tiny  objects  which  were  ships.  The 
journey  from  Cologne  to  Kenley  was  completed  in 
two  and  a  half  hours,  and  I  alighted  on  good 
Surrey  soil  without  a  trace  of  weariness.  An 
interesting  experience  was  pleasantly  rounded  off 
by  lunch  with  Colonel  Primrose  at  the  R.A.F. 
mess  at  Kenley. 

Later  in  the  year,  on  October  1 8th,  I  tested  the 
value  of  the  civilian  aerial  service  to  Paris,  and 
'  came  to  the  conclusion  that  although  a  Channel 
tunnel  may  be  constructed,  or  ferry  steamers  may 
make  a  continuous  train  journey  possible  from 
Charing  Cross  to  the  Gare  du  Nord,  the  air  route 
will  eventually  be  the  really  popular  one,  and  will 
be  chosen  not  only  for  speed  but  for  comfort. 
I  left  Hounslow  in  a  two-seater  "  Airco,"  piloted 
by  Lieutenant  Lawrence  Tibbit,  at  12.30  midday, 
and  two  and  a  quarter  hours  later  landed  safely 
at  Le  Bourget  Aerodrome,  near  to  Paris.  I  sat 
during  the  flight  in  a  cosy,  leather -upholstered 
arm-chair  in  a  cabin  furnished  with  a  writing-table. 


THE  AIR  ROUTE  TO  PARIS  805 

and  with  windows  which  could  be  opened  or  closed 
at  the  pleasure  of  the  passenger.  With  a  map  it 
was  easy  to  follow  the  route.  Towns  like  Ashford 
have  their  names  painted  in  enormous  white  letters 
on  the  roofs  of  the  stations.  We  crossed  the 
Channel  at  about  3,000  feet — life-belts  were  worn 
in  case  of  accident — and  flying  above  the  clouds 
I  noticed  a  curious  phenomenon.  The  shadow  of 
our  machine  was  thrown  on  the  cloud  bed  below 
us,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  rainbow-tinted  corona. 
The  Channel  seemed  little  more  than  a  broad 
river,  as  half-way  over  both  the  English  and  French 
coasts  were  plainly  visible.  We  passed  over 
Wimereux,  Le  Touquet,  Abbeville,  and  the  cathe- 
dral town  of  Beauvais,  and  as  we  sped  along  I 
dropped  stamped  postcards  to  friends  at  home, 
enclosed  in  envelopes  of  the  type  we  used  in  the 
old  Gordon-Bennett  balloon  races.  The  envelopes 
bore  the  words,  "  Priere  d'ouvrir,"  and  the  mes- 
sages from  the  skies  bore  appeals  in  French, 
English,  and  Latin  that  the  cards  should  be  posted. 
When  we  alighted  at  Le  Bourget,  motor-cars  were 
waiting  to  rush  the  travellers  into  the  city.  The 
organization  of  the  British  and  French  civil  aviation 
authorities  is  excellent.  I  returned  as  I  went,  by 
air,  after  a  week-end  in  Paris,  and  brought  back 
with  me  samples  of  the  1914  and  1915  champagnes, 
war  vintages,  and  the  best  since  1911. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

MY  HUNDRED  BALLOON  ASCENTS 

I  HAVE  left  for  two  closing  chapters  a  summar- 
ized account  of  some  among  the  hundred  balloon 
ascents  I  made  in  the  years  1901  to  1908,  of  a 
trip  in  the  airship  Ville  de  Paris,  and  of  the  early 
days  of  flight  in  heavier  -  than  -  air  machines. 
Bound  up  with  this  narrative  is  the  formation 
of  the  Aero  Club,  now  the  influential  and  widely 
known  Royal  Aero  Club.  A  detailed  log  of  my 
balloon,  airship  and  aeroplane  voyages  will  be 
found  in  an  Appendix. 

On  September  24th  I  was  staying  with  my 
daughter  at  Shere,  in  Surrey,  previous  to  setting 
out  on  a  motor  tour  through  Scotland.  An  acci- 
dent to  my  daughter's  car,  caused  by  an  escape 
of  petrol,  made  it  necessary  to  abandon  the  trip, 
and  Miss  Butler  suggested  by  way  of  compensa- 
tion for  our  disappointment  that  we  should  make 
a  balloon  ascent.  We  undertook  the  adventure  in 
the  balloon  City  of  York,  which  had  a  gas  capacity 
of  42,000  cubic  feet,  and  ascended  from  the  Crystal 
Palace.  The  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls  came  with  us  as  a 
third  passenger,  and  the  balloon  was  under  the 
control  of  Mr.  Stanley  Spencer.  We  remained  in 
the  air  over  London  for  two  hours,   and  before 

306 


907 


THE  AERO  CLUB  809 

we  came  down  at  Sidcup  Park,  in  Kent,  we  had 
decided  to  form  the  Aero  Club.  The  foundation 
members  of  the  Club  were  Miss  Vera  Butler,  the 
Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls,  and  myself.  A  resolution  sub- 
scribed to  in  the  air  was  soon  put  into  terrestrial 
practice,  and  the  name  "  Aero  Club  "  was  registered 
at  Somerset  House.  This  was  done  through  the 
then  able  Secretary  of  the  Automobile  Club,  Mr. 
Claude  Johnson,  after  the  proposal  had  been  passed 
by  the  Chairman,  Mr.  Roger  Wallace,  Q.C.,  and  the 
Standing  Committee  of  that  Club,  on  October  21, 
1901.  The  scheme  was  soon  grasped  by  the  Com- 
mittee, who  looked  to  an  Aero  Club  to  control  the 
science  and  sport  of  balloons,  dirigible  and  other- 
wise, aeroplanes,  and  so  forth,  which,  with  the  aid 
of  the  light  petrol  engine,  seemed  destined  to  become 
a  means  of  locomotion. 

The  records  of  the  early  days  are  to  be  found — 

In  the  Autocar,  page  432,  November  23,  1901. 
In  the  Motor  Car  Journal,  page  552,  September  28,  1901. 
In  the  Automotor  Journal,  page  46,  November,  1901. 
In  the  Automobile  Club  Notes  and  Notices,  November  1,  1901, 
page  425. 

The  necessary  funds  were  provided  by  myself 
for  the  initial  law  expenses,  registration,  inaugural 
ascents,  etc.,  and  the  "  Aero  Club  of  the  United 
Kingdom  "  thus  became  an  accomplished  fact.^ 

I  The  Royal  Aero  Club  for  heavier -than -air  machines  became 
the  godparent  of  the  Fljdng  Corps,  now  called  the  Royal 
Air  Force.  All  the  early  pioneers  in  the  Army  and  Navy 
learned  to  fly  on  machines  belonging  to  members  of  the  Club, 
as  the  Army  and  Navy  at  this  period  did  not  own  a  single 


810  FIFTY   YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Miss  Vera  Butler,  writing  in  the  Automobile  Club 
Journal  (now  the  Royal  Automobile  Club  Journal), 
described  the  oundation  in  1901  of  the  Aero  Club 
as  follows  (page  411  of  the  1903  volume) : 

This  Club  owes  its  origin  to  the  private  balloon  ascent  from 
the  Crystal  Palace  by  three  well-known  pioneer  motorists, 
who  thought  that  to  try  a  voyage  through  the  air  instead  of 
on  terra  firma  would  be  a  novel,  and  probably  a  delightful 
sensation ;  and  so,  on  one  beautiful  September  morning, 
they  sailed  away  into  the  upper  regions.  Their  expectations 
were  fully  realized,  and  they  thought  what  a  pity  it  was  that 
such  a  delightful  mode  of  progression  was  not  more  universal, 
and  thereupon  decided  to  form  a  club  to  enable  the  delightful 
and  unconventional  pastime  to  become  more  general.  .  .  . 

One  of  the  main  objects  of  the  Aero  Club  is  to  further  the 
progress  of  "  airships  "  and  "  aeroplanes."  As  yet  both  of 
these  may  be  considered  as  still  being  in  their  infancy,  but 
with  the  marvellous  strides  aeronautical  inventions  have  made 
during  the  last  century,  we  are  justified  in  anticipating  that 
the  difficulties  will  be  overcome  before  long,  and  we  may  all 
yet  have  to  build  sheds  on  the  roofs  of  our  houses  for  the 
storage  of  these  aerial  monsters,  these  huge  mechanical  birds 
of  passage  !  .  .  . 

It  will  be  a  red-letter  day  for  aeronauts  when  it  becomes 
possible  to  steer  the  balloon  back  to  its  original  starting-place, 
instead  of  being  obliged  to  descend  where  they  can,  rather 
than  where  they  would,  and  then  have  to  resort  to  the  prosaic 
railway  train  for  the  return  home. 

The  Royal  Automobile  Club  Journal  also  printed 
the  following  historical  summary  of  the  formation 
of  the  Club  ; 

aeroplane.  Pilot  certificates  also  were  obtained  through  the 
Club,  and  airmen  had  the  use  of  their  grounds  in  the  Isle 
of  Sheppey,  in  Kent,  in  1910. 


THE  AUTHOR   FINDS  A   CONVERT  TO   BALLOONING,   AFTER   SENDING  A   TELEGRAM 

TO   HER   HUSBAND   BY   HIS   BROTHER. 
Period  1906. 


ClTy  OF  LONDON:   BALLOON   BUILT   FOR  THE  AUTHOR   IN   THE   GORDON- 
BENNETT  BALLOON   RACE   FROM   PARIS. 
Period  1906. 

311 


THE  AERO   CLUB  818 

,  Septbmbee  1901. 

24:th. — Ascent  from  the  Crystal  Palace  in  the  City  of  York, 
42,000  cubic  feet,  by  Miss  Vera  Butler,  Mr.  F.  Hedges  Butler, 
and  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls,  with  the  late  Mr.  Stanley  Spencer 
in  his  official  capacity  as  aeronaut.  Conversation  during  the 
voyage  on  the  subject  of  the  success  of  M.  Santos  Dumont 
in  encircling  the  Eiffel  Tower  and  winning  the  £4,000  prize 
presented  by  M.  Deutsch  de  la  Meurthe,  through  the  Aero 
Club  of  France  ;  the  formation  of  a  similar  Club  for  British 
balloons,  dirigibles,  and  aeroplanes,  suggested  by  Mr.  F.  Hedges 
Butler.  The  idea  cordially  endorsed  by  the  other  voyagers, 
and  the  decision  taken  to  register  the  name  of  the  "  Aero  Club  " 
on  descent. 

25th. — Mr.  Claude  Johnson,  Secretary  of  the  Automobile 
Club,  interviewed  at  Whitehall  Court  by  Mr.  F.  Hedges  Butler, 
Hon.  Treasurer  of  that  Club,  on  the  subject  of  an  Aero  Club, 
Mr.  Butler's  original  idea  being  to  make  the  new  Club  a  part 
of  the  Automobile  Club,  in  view  of  the  important  part  played 
in  dirigibles  and  aeroplanes  by  the  internal  combustion 
engine. 

October. 

2l8t. — Meeting  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Auto- 
mobile Club  ;  decision  to  form  an  Aero  Club  in  connection 
with  the  Automobile  Club  ;  the  Secretary  directed  to  register 
the  title  of  the  "  Aero  Club  of  the  United  Kingdom." 

29th. — Meeting  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Auto- 
mobile Club  ;  report  by  Mr.  Staplee  Firth  of  the  completion 
of  the  registration  of  the  Aero  Club  as  a  company,  namely,  as 
"  The  Aero  Club  of  the  United  Kingdom,  Limited  "  ;  half-page 
advertisements  of  the  Aero  Club  ordered  to  be  inserted  in 
the  Autocar  and  the  Motor  Car  Journal,  together  with  small 
advertisements  in  The  Times  and  the  Daily  Mail ;  letter 
read  from  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls  in  connection  with  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Aero  Club  ;  recommendation  passed  that  congratu- 
lations should  be  sent  to  Senhor  Santos  Dumont ;  directions 
given  for  the    Secretary  to    send  out    additional   Circulars 


314 


FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 


concerning  the  Aero  Club  and  to  take  steps  to  bring  the  Aero 
Club  to  the  notice  of  suitable  members  of  the  Automobile 
Club. 

Note. — Funds  were  provided  by  Mr.  F.  Hedges  Butler 
and  cheque  sent  to  Messrs.  Andrew  Barr  &  Co.,  Chartered 
Accountants  of  the  Automobile  Club,  for  preliminary  expenses 
and  the  registration  of  the  name,  etc.  The  Aero  Club 
of  the  United  Kingdom,  Limited,  was  registered  without 
Articles  of  Association.  This  had  to  be  done,  as  other  people 
were  desirous  of  registering  the  name,  and  papers  were  pre- 
sented within  a  few  hours  after  these  papers  had  been  lodged 
at  Somerset  House.  The  capital  of  the  company  was  regis- 
tered as  £100,  divided  into  2,000  shares  of  Is.  each.  The 
signatories  registered  at  Somerset  House  are  as  follows  : 


Name. 
Frank  Hedges  Butler 

T.  W.  Staplee  Firth 

Mark  J.  Mayhew 

Charles  Stewart  Rolls 

Ernest  Instone 
Jas.  Burrows   . . 

C.  Johnson 


Address  and  Description. 


Nvimber 

of  Shares 

taken. 

Wine  Shipper  and  Merchant, 

155  Regent  Street,  W.  . .  One. 
Solicitor, 

140  Upper  Tulse  Hill  . .     One. 

Lieut.  Imperial  Yeomanry, 

Scio,  Roehampton,  Surrey  . .  One. 
Gentleman, 

South  Lodge,  Knightsbridge     One. 

One. 

Steward, 

Lavender  Hill        . .  . .     One. 

Secretary, 

Automobile  Club    . .  . .     One, 


Dated  the  29th  October,  1901. 

Witness  to  above  signatures, 

Joseph  G.  Pottle, 
25,  Ralph  Street,  Newington, 

Solicitor's  Clerk. 

The    statutory    notice    gives    the    Registered   Office  as 
Whitehall  Court,  and  the  fee  paid  on  registration   amounted  j 
to  ^3  12s,  6d. 


REGISTRATION  OF  THE  CLUB  315 

November. 

I5th. — Inaugural  ascent  of  the  Aero  Club,  Stamford  Bridge 
Grounds,  by  Miss  Vera  Butler,  Mr.  F.  Hedges  Butler,  and 
the  late  Mr.  Stanley  Spencer  (in  his  official  capacity  as 
aeronaut)  ;  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls,  who  was  to  have  been  one 
of  the  party,  gave  up  his  place,  as,  owing  to  the  heavy  gas 
supplied,  the  balloon  would  only  lift  three  persons. 

The  following  was  the  first  draft  of  the  pre- 
liminary circular  of  the  Aero  Club  : 

Liability  of  Member  of  the  Club. — The  Aero  Club  of  the 
United  Kingdom  is  registered  under  the  Companies  Act, 
by  which  the  liability  of  a  member  is  restricted  to  his  sub- 
scription and  to  a  share  of  one  shilling. 

Purposes  of  the  Club. — The  Club  is  for  the  encouragement 
of  ballooning  as  a  sport  and  of  aerial  locomotion  in  all  its 
forms  and  applications. 

It  is  intended — 

(a)  To   encourage   the   study   of   aeronautics   and   develop 

the  sciences  connected  therewith, 
(6)  To  organize  aerial  excursions  in  which  all  members  may 

take  part, 
(c)  To  organize  Congresses,  Exhibitions,  races,  and  contests. 
{d)  To  acquire  balloons  for  the  use  of  members, 
(e)  To  acquire  premises,  to  form  a  library,  and  to  promote 

intercourse  between  those  interested  in  the  subject. 
if)   To  encourage  a  competent  aeronaut  for  the  conducting 

of  aerial  excursions  and  for  education  of  members. 
(g)  To    acquire    the   use   of   grounds   for   the   inflation   of 

balloons  and  for  ascents. 
(h)  To   grant   certificates  of  competency  to  members  who, 

having  made  a  sufficiency  of  ascents,  are  recognized 

as  competent  to  take  control  of  a  balloon. 

The  Programme  for  1902. — The  Club  will  be  open  to  ladies 
and  gentlemen,  subject  to  election. 


816  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

It  is  suggested  that — 

(a)  At  the  outset  a  balloon  should  be  acquired  for  the  use 

of  members. 
(6)  Ascents  should  be  confined  to  members  of  the  Club. 

(c)  Ascents  should  be  made  weekly  or  periodically,  according 

to  demand. 

(d)  The  charge  for  ascents  should  be  in  accordance  with 

the  cost  and  the  time  of  the  year. 

(e)  Dates  for  ascents  should  be  by  ballot. 

Premises. — It  is  suggested  that  the  Automobile  Club  should  be 
asked  to  allot  a  room  in  its  new  premises  for  the  use  of  members 
of  the  Aero  Club,  in  which  the  library  of  the  Aero  Club  would 
be  located  and  the  reading  of  papers  and  discussions  should 
be  held,  and  in  which  members  should  meet  for  intercourse. 

Subscription  for  Members. — It  is  proposed  that  the  subscrip- 
tion of  membership  should  be  for  the  first  three  hundred 
members  (Founder  Members)  £2  2s.  per  annum,  including 
the  right  to  use  the  Aero  Club  Room  (only)  at  the  New 
Automobile  Club  premises  in  Piccadilly. 

Further,  that  the  Automobile  Club  should  be  asked  to 
admit  (on  election)  as  members  of  the  Automobile  Club 
gentlemen  who  are  members  of  the  Aero  Club,  who  are  not 
members  of  the  Automobile  Club,  at  the  ordinary  subscription 
of  the  Automobile  Club,  less  £1  Is.  per  annum. 

Committee. — Early  in  1902  a  General  Meeting  of  members 
of  the  Aero  Club  will  be  held  to  elect  a  Committee  and 
QjBficers  and  to  frame  rules. 

Organizing  Committee. — On  Tuesday,  December  3,  1901,  at 
5  p.m.,  a  meeting  of  those  who  have  intimated  a  desire  to 
join  the  Club  will  be  held  at  the  Automobile  Club,  4  Whitehall 
Court,  London,  S.W.,  to  appoint  an  organizing  committee. 

Club  Colours. — The  Club  colours,  light  blue  and  chocolate, 
can  be  obtained  from  Messrs.  Lane  and  Neave,  4  Minories, 
London,  E.  Members  are  requested  to  fly  the  Club  colours 
in  all  competitions. 

The  early  meetings  of  the  Committee  of  the  Club 
were  held  in  my  chambers  at  56  Pall  MaU,  S.W., 


"    1/1 

i-i   O 


>.  o 

O  Q 

>  ■z 

o 

p  O 

fa  oj 


< 


3. 


317 


TWO  ASCENTS  819 

and  the  inaugural  ascent  of  the  Club  was  made 
on  November  15,  1901.  Miss  Vera  Butler,  who 
could  fairly  be  regarded  as  the  fairy  godmother  of 
the  institution,  myself,  and  Mr.  Stanley  Spencer 
were  the  voyagers,  and  the  City  of  York  was  again 
the  balloon  to  be  used.  The  ascent  took  place 
from  Stamford  Bridge,  Chelsea,  and  as  soon  as  we 
were  a  few  hundred  feet  in  the  air  Miss  Butler 
unfurled  a  white  banner  36  feet  long,  bearing  the 
words,  in  large  blue  letters,  "  Aero  Club."  Many 
of  the  Automobile  Club  members  came  in  their 
cars  to  see  the  start,  and  it  is  interesting  to  recall 
that  a  biograph  camera  took  a  moving  record  of 
an  historic  event. 

On  December  8,  1902,  I  made  my  fifteenth — 
and  first  solo — balloon  ascent.  The  Aero  Club  of 
France  granted  a  certificate  to  act  as  pilot  to 
aeronauts  who  made  a  minimum  of  twelve  ascents, 
two  of  them  made  alone,  and  one  a  night  ascent. 
In  the  Enghsh  Aero  Club  we  stipulated  for  ten 
ascents,  two  of  them  made  under  an  observer,  and 
one  a  solo  ascent.  My  adventures  began  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  and  the  balloon  in  which  I  made 
the  journey  was  the  Vivienne  /,  of  35,000  feet. 
Rain  was  falling  at  the  start,  and  the  balloon 
quickly  entered  a  dense  fog.  The  trip  was  lonely 
and  uncanny,  for  I  never  got  a  glimpse  of  land 
or  sky  until  the  descent.  I  had  no  occasion  to 
worry  about  ballast,  for  the  balloon  was  in  equili- 
brium for  the  whole  journey.  The  sounds  of 
railway  trains,  of  dogs  barking,  and  of  sports- 
men shooting  enlivened  my  solitude.  Eventually 
I   came    down   near   Corby,    in   Lincolnshire,   the 


820  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

distance  covered  from  the  Crystal  Palace  being 
115  miles.  After  this  ascent  the  Aero  Club 
of  France  granted  me  the  first  English  pilot 
aeronaut's  certificate,  and  I  received  a  much- 
appreciated  telegram  from  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls, 
congratulating  me  on  what  he  was  enthusiastic 
enough  to  call  "  a  wonderful  feat."  I  think  that 
the  only  nervous  moments  I  had  during  the  journey 
arose  through  the  net  of  the  balloon  stretching. 
The  rain  at  the  start  had  caused  the  cordage  to 
shrink,  and  when  it  dried  again  in  the  clear  air 
aloft,  the  netting  again  approximated  its  normal 
length.  The  effect  of  this  was  a  sudden  drop  of 
a  few  inches  in  the  basket.  The  drop,  perhaps,  was 
a  slight  matter  compared  with  the  bumps  experi- 
enced in  the  aeroplane  of  to-day  when  the  atmo- 
sphere is  queer  ;  but  alone  in  the  car  and  high  up 
in  the  air,  I  found  it  a  sufficiently  alarming  experi- 
ence, and  one  which  gave  me  an  unpleasant  internal 
"  sinking  "  feeling. 

About  this  time  the  possible  value  of  a  Balloon 
Volunteer  Corps  suggested  itself  to  me.  The  bal- 
loon sections  in  the  South  African  War  had  been 
far  too  small,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  in  the 
event  of  a  European  war  a  much  larger  number 
would  be  necessary.  My  project  was  to  establish 
the  corps  in  conjunction  with  the  recently  formed 
Automobile  Volunteer  Corps.  I  entered  into  cor- 
respondence with  the  War  Office  on  the  subject. 
The  military  authorities  were  favourably  impressed 
with  the  scheme,  but  it  needed  the  Great  War  to 
put  aviation  on  a  sound  footing,  and  the  years 
previous  to  1914  were  disappointing  to  those  of 


"UP  IN  A  BALLOON"  321 

us  who  had  our  views  on  the  importance  of  an  air 
service.  Letters  printed  in  the  second  Appendix 
to  this  volume  reveal  the  attitude  of  highly  placed 
people  towards  flying  in  the  years  before  the  war. 
In  a  previous  book,  Five  Thousand  Miles  in  a 
Balloon,  I  have  given  my  own  impressions  of 
balloon  travelling.  On  this  occasion  I  will  include 
the  following  impressions  written  by  my  daughter 
after  a  trip  in  the  Aero  Club  No.  2  from  the  Ranelagh 
Club  to  Alresford,  Hampshire,  on  May  23,  1903 
(see  Appendix,  No.  19  ascent). 

There  would  seem  to  be  something  distinctly  appalling  in 
the  idea  of  going  up  in  a  balloon  to  nearly  everybody  who 
has  not  tried  it ;  indeed,  the  general  conception  of  ballooning 
is,  apparently,  almost  as  unsophisticated  as  it  was  in  the  old 
Vauxhall  Gardens  days  of  our  grandfathers,  when  "  Ingoldsby  " 
Barham  reflected  popular  opinion  in  his  lines  on  the  "  Monstre  " 
balloon  : 

Oh  !   the  balloon,  the  great  balloon  ! 

It  left  Vauxhall  one  Monday  at  noon. 

And  everyone  said  we  should  hear  of  it  soon 

With  news  from  Aleppo  or  Scanderoon. 

But  very  soon  after  folks  changed  their  tune  : 

"  The  netting  had  burst — the  silk — the  balloon  ; — 

It  had  met  with  a  trade-wind — a  deuced  monsoon — 

It  was  blown  out  to  sea — it  was  blown  to  the  moon." 

In  view  of  the  "  fancies  "  which  still  exist,  a  few  "  facts  " 
may  help  to  dispel  some  illusions  on  the  subject,  which  is  one 
of  ever-increasing  interest.  Folks  still  seem  to  imagine  that 
as  a  first  step  one  enters  a  small  washing-basket  with  a  huge 
unmanageable  mass  above ;  then,  at  a  given  signal,  this 
dangerous  monster  is  let  loose,  and  up  it  shoots  like  a  rocket 
into  the  unknown  and,  therefore,  terror -inspiring  "  space," 
there  to  be  swayed  backwards  and  forwards,  or  round  and 


822  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

round,  at  the  mercy  of  the  wind,  or  hurled  along  at  60  miles 
an  hour  should  it  encounter  a  stray  storm,  with  the  result 
of  either  being  struck  by  lightning  or  landing  helplessly  in 
the  sea.  One  is  glad  to  be  able  to  assure  the  timid  that  all 
this  is  very  far  from  the  case. 

A  balloon  is  quite  a  manageable  thing,  but  requires  as 
much  knowledge  of  manipulation  as  a  motor-car,  and  the 
difEerence  between  a  bad  and  good  aeronaut  is  astonishing. 
Before  starting  off  on  the  expedition  two  chief  things  are 
required — a  balloon  that  does  not  leak,  and  which  has  a  valve 
that  works  properly,  and  plenty  of  ballast.  On  ballast  one's 
safety  is  entirely  dependent,  as  it  is  by  throwing  out  the  right 
amount  of  ballast  at  the  right  moment  that  one  evades  trees, 
housetops,  and  church  spires  ;  while  by  pulling  the  valve  at 
the  right  moment  and  thus  letting  out  the  gas,  one  escapes 
soaring  too  high  into  regions  where  the  air  is  rarefied.  It  is 
only  in  those  high  altitudes  that  ballooning  becomes  really 
unpleasant.  Anyone  who  has  had  a  tooth  out  "  with  gas  '* 
can  realize  the  sensation  felt  in  rarefied  air  without  going  up 
in  a  balloon,  for  it  resembles  nothing  so  much  as  the  curious 
feeling  popularly  described  as  "  coming  to." 

Having  mentioned  the  unpleasant  things  to  be  avoided, 
and  which,  in  truth,  only  occur  with  an  unskilled  aeronaut, 
let  us  turn  to  the  really  enjoyable  side  of  aerostation.  To 
begin  with,  incredible  as  it  may  seem,  one  feels  no  motion 
of  any  description,  even  though  it  may  be  blowing  a  gale, 
for  a  balloon  travels  at  the  same  pace  as  the  wind.  One 
appears  to  be  stationary  all  the  time  and  the  earth  receding. 
Firstly,  men  and  women  appear  to  be  the  size  of  ants,  shortly 
to  be  lost  sight  of  altogether  ;  next,  the  houses  look  like  tiny 
dots  and  the  streets  are  pencil  lines  ;  the  hills  appear  gradually 
to  subside,  until  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth  seems  flat ; 
the  rivers  thin  down  to  silvery  streaks,  and  the  whole  landscape 
has  the  appearance  of  a  map.  The  effect  is  curious  in  the 
extreme. 

A  most  noticeable  and  impressive  thing  on  a  first  ascent  is 
the  absolute  solitude  and  silence  of  those  upper  regions.  On 
the  earth,  without  being  definitely  aware  of  it,  we  are  con- 


t 


323 


i 


BALLOON  ASCENTS— AND  DESCENTS      825 

scious  that  there  is  always  some  kind  of  sound — a  dog  barking, 
or  merely  the  rustling  of  leaves  in  the  breeze,  or  the  vague 
murmur  of  life  of  a  great  city,  like  an  under-current  of  dull 
sound  to  the  rapid  stream  of  our  personal  thoughts  and 
actions.  But  in  the  upper  air  nothing  stirs  ;  all  is  sad  silence  ; 
around  us  is  unending  space,  and  one  is  able  to  realize  in 
some  infinitesimal  degree  the  sublime,  unspeakable  wonder 
of  "  eternity."  The  last  noises  to  be  heard  are  the  whistles 
of  railway  trains,  which,  it  will  surprise  no  nerve-ridden 
person  to  learn,  carry  further  than  any  other  sounds  of  this 
noisy  world. 

It  is  well  to  be  equipped  with  a  very  warm  coat,  for,  though 
on  leaving  the  earth  the  thermometer  may  register  ninety 
in  the  shade,  on  arrival  at  a  height  of  some  10,000  feet 
one  may  be  greeted  with  a  snowstorm,  and  find  the  ther- 
mometer at  zero  !  On  the  other  hand,  one  may  leave  the 
earth  in  a  snowstorm  and  go  straight  through  the  snow  clouds 
into  brilliant  sunshine,  blue  sky,  and  unbearable  heat.  Perhaps 
the  most  curious  of  all  sensations  is  that  of  bouncing  from 
one  cloud  to  another,  a  cloud  to  a  balloon  being  very  much 
what  a  table  would  be  to  an  air-ball — a  solid  obstacle,  and, 
until  the  cloud  dissolves,  impassable. 

As  most  people  are  aware,  being  in  a  cloud  is  like  being 
in  a  dense  fog,  and  nothing  of  the  earth  is  visible,  so  at  this 
period  descent  is  impossible,  as  to  pull  the  valve,  let  out 
the  gas,  and  come  down  without  seeing  where  you  might 
land  would  be  highly  dangerous.  Once  the  gas  is  out  there 
is  no  help  for  it.  Down  you  must  come,  wherever  it  may  be. 
It  is  in  making  the  descent  that  the  whole  skill  of  the  aeronaut 
is  needed,  for  this  is  the  critical  moment,  especially  if  it  is 
blowing  a  gale. 

Before  descending,  one  first  fixes  upon  some  open  space 
where  it  will  be  convenient  to  land  without  the  additional 
fear  of  some  irate  farmer  suing  for  damage  to  his  crops. 
Next,  the  valve  is  pulled.  Immediately  the  gas  escapes, 
and  down  the  balloon  comes  at  a  good  pace.  It  is  allowed 
to  fall  full  speed  until  within  500  feet  of  the  ground,  when  a 
small  quantity  of  ballast,  which  consists  of  sand,  is  thrown 

14 


326  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

out.  This  takes  effect  at  once,  and  checks  the  fall  of  the 
balloon,  so  that  it  drops  to  the  earth  slowly,  and  there  is  no 
shock  experienced  in  landing.  The  great  difficulty  is  to 
know  the  right  amount  of  ballast  to  discard,  for  if  too  much 
is  thrown  out  the  balloon  immediately  shoots  up,  and  may 
travel  several  miles  further,  while  if  too  little  is  cast  over- 
board the  shock  on  landing  is  severe  and  dangerous,  hurling 
the  occupants  of  the  car  off  their  feet,  if  it  does  nothing 
worse. 

A  trail -rope,  250  feet  long,  is  always  suspended  from  a  balloon, 
and  serves  for  several  purposes.  One  of  these  is  called 
"  trailing,"  which  is  quite  the  most  enjoyable  part  of  balloon- 
ing. The  end  of  the  rope  is  allowed  to  drag  along  the  ground, 
or  over  trees  and  houses,  as  the  case  may  be,  which  steadies 
the  balloon  and  keeps  it  at  an  even  distance  from  the  ground, 
exactly  realizing  one's  idea  of  fljang.  Then  one  understands 
why  ballooning  has  become  compared  to  the  flight  of  a  bird. 
Another  use  of  the  trail -rope  is  as  a  means  of  being  pulled  to 
earth  by  any  stray  people  who  may  be  conveniently  present 
at  the  time  of  the  descent,  as  when  one  is  pulled  to  the 
ground  in  this  way  there  is  no  shock  of  any  kind. 

One  always  takes  up  an  anchor,  attached  to  the  end  of 
a  rope,  and  this  is  thrown  out  just  before  landing.  It  catches 
in  the  nearest  object,  and  so  assures  against  bumping  along 
the  ground  or  tearing  down  hedges,  which  is  quite  likely  to 
happen  if  there  is  any  wind,  should  nobody  be  there  to  hold 
the  balloon  steady  while  the  passengers  get  out  of  the  basket. 
The  greatest  care  has  to  be  taken  in  "  disembarking."  Only 
one  person  may  land  at  a  time,  and  he  or  she  must  take  a 
tight  hold  upon  the  basket,  even  when  safely  landed,  or  other- 
wise the  balloon  would  go  up,  relieved  of  so  much  weight. 
In  like  manner,  each  person  lands  and  holds  the  balloon 
until  sufficient  gas  has  escaped  to  obviate  any  risk  of  it 
suddenly  soaring  upwards. 

Immediately  on  descending  there  is  a  cm-ious  ringing 
the  ears,  and  occasionally  on  landing  one  is  totally  deaf  fot 
a  minute  or  two  ;  but  this  only  occurs  after  having  been 
a  very  great  height.     Everyone  having  got   out  of   the  a 


AN  EXCITING   EXPERIENCE  327 

all  the  gas  is  allowed  to  escape,  and  the  whole  silk  covering 
is  folded  up  and  fitted  into  the  basket,  which  is  put  on  a  cart 
and  conveyed  to  the  nearest  railway  station.  People  have 
been  known  to  tether  the  balloon  and  take  a  meal,  and  then 
get  in  again  and  resume  the  "  flight,"  but  this  is  not  a  very 
usual  thing. 

An  aerial  monster  looming  overhead  is  a  source  of  great 
disturbance  to  a  farmyard.  Evidently  the  good  folk  think 
it  is  some  overgrown  hawk  descending  upon  them,  and  their 
agitation  is  very  funny,  except  to  themselves.  A  very  curious 
experience  sometimes  met  with,  while  in  a  snowstorm  in  the 
clouds,  is  to  be  falling  faster  than  the  snowflakes,  in  which 
case  the  effect  is  rather  startling,  for  it  appears  to  be  snowing 
upwards,  as  in  some  land  of  topsyturvydom. 

The  currents  in  the  higher  altitudes  are  very  queer  and 
erratic,  for  one  may  be  calmly  going  due  north,  when,  having 
ascended  a  few  feet,  the  balloon  will  suddenly  turn  and 
drift  in  an  entirely  different  direction,  giving  it  from  the  earth 
the  appearance  of  a  dirigible  airship.  The  hope  of  every 
aeronaut  is  that  balloons  will  lead  to  airships. 

Miss  Vera  Butler  was  with  me  in  one  of  my  most 
exciting  balloon  experiences.  Together  with  the 
Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls,  we  were  the  guests  of  Count  de 
la  Vaulx  and  Count  d'Oultremont  in  an  ascent 
made  from  the  park  of  the  Aero  Club  at  St. -Cloud, 
Paris.  There  was  a  thick  fog  over  the  park  when 
we  started,  but  we  rose  above  this  and  found  a 
deep  blue  sky  overhead.  We  were  a  merry  party, 
and  Mr.  Rolls  during  the  voyage  "  entertained " 
us  with  tunes  on  a  penny  whistle.  For  three  hours 
we  swung  in  bright  sunshine,  although  below  us 
was  an  impenetrable  cloud-bank.  When  we  decided 
to  descend,  the  balloon  rebounded  as  it  touched 
the  fog.  Slowly  we  dropped  through  the  veil  until 
at  length  we  could  hear  voices,  although  it  was 


828  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

impossible  to  see  the  ground.  For  some  time  we 
drifted  along,  shouting  questions  from  the  car  and 
getting  answers  from  invisible  people.  Suddenly 
we  crashed  into  trees,  but  no  great  damage  was 
done,  and  men  came  to  the  rescue  and  hauled  the 
balloon  to  earth  by  means  of  the  guide-rope. 

My  first  cross-Channel  balloon  voyage  was  made 
on  August  30,  1905,  when  with  Mr.  Percival 
Spencer  I  made  an  ascent  from  the  Wandsworth 
and  Putney  Gas  Works  with  the  idea  of  seeing 
something  of  an  eclipse  of  the  sun.  The  following 
account  of  the  journey  was  compiled  from  notes 
made  during  the  trip  : 

London  skies  had  been  overcast  for  several  days,  and  it 
was  obvious  to  all  that  the  long-looked-for  eclipse  of  the  sun 
was  likely  to  be  invisible  to  the  ordinary  dweller  upon  earth. 

In  these  circumstances  Mr.  Percival  Spencer  and  I  put 
into  practice  the  palpable  means  of  circumventing  Nature's 
obstructions,  that  of  rising  above  the  fog  mists,  to  view  in 
clear  air  aloft  the  unobscured  sight  of  the  Sun  King  eclipsed 
by  the  interposition  of  our  Lady  Moon.  All  aeronauts  knew 
the  scheme  to  be  perfectly  feasible,  but  none  had  the 
inclination  or  opportunity  to  rise  literally  superior  to  their 
surroundings  and  to  make  sure  of  seeing  the  astronomical 
spectacle. 

The  fine  balloon  Vera,  of  45,000  cubic  feet  capacity,  made 
by  Messrs.  Spencer  and  Sons,  had  been  inflated  with  coal 
gas  at  the  grounds  of  the  Wandsworth  and  Putney  Gas  Works. 
The  various  barometers,  thermometers,  hygrometers,  cameras, 
and  compasses  were  adjusted  and  placed  in  the  car,  and  last, 
but  not  least  in  importance,  a  somewhat  bulky  provision 
hamper,  containing  champagne,  fowl  and  ham,  and  similar 
creature-comforts,  was  stowed  in  the  car.  There  were  fifteen 
canvas  sacks  of  sand  ballast,  each  weighing  three-quarters 
of  a  hundredweight,  representin^r  an  ample  margin  of  lifting 


CROSS  CHANNEL  AND  ECLIPSE  OF  THE  SUN.  VOYAGE  FROM  LONDON  TO  CAEN 
IN  NORMANDY.   VIEW  OF  SHOREHAM,  NEAR  BRIGHTON. 

J'etiod  1905. 


329 


r^'-.i 


omta^p^ 


i\o 


i 


CROSSING  THE  CHANNEL  881 

power,  which  might  be  slowly  unloaded  as  circumstances 
required,  in  order  to  maintain  the  life  of  the  balloon  for  a 
considerable  period.  The  wind  was  northerly,  and  as  the 
eclipse  was  reckoned  to  last  for  two  hours  or  more,  it  was 
likely  that  our  all-too-small  confines  of  land  would  be  passed 
before  the  object  of  the  ascent  had  been  achieved,  and 
then,  if  water  was  underneath,  a  cross-sea  trip  would  have  to 
be  accomplished  without  further  choice  in  the  matter. 

Noon  had  passed,  the  eclipse,  according  to  calculation, 
had  begun,  the  sky  was  leaden.  Clouds,  clouds,  all  above, 
and  not  a  glimpse  of  sun.  The  wind  was  wild  and  fitful,  so 
strong  that  the  lower  masses  of  cloud  passed  with  great  rapidity 
overhead,  and  showed  that  a  balloon  trip  in  England  would 
soon  be  over. 

At  half-past  twelve  the  ascent  began,  and  at  12.40,  through 
the  upper  clouds,  we  saw  the  sun,  a  crescent.  We  were  then 
2,000  feet  high,  and  rising. 

Soon  more  clouds  intervened,  and  in  another  five  minutes 
we  had  reached  3,000  feet,  and  the  sun  was  quite  obscured 
by  the  upper  clouds.  The  balloon  was  now  reaching  its 
equilibrium,  and  at  ten  minutes  to  one  a  hundredweight  of 
sand  was  discharged,  which  had  the  effect  of  so  lightening 
it  that  a  continual  and  regular  rise  ensued.  At  five  minutes 
to  one  we  were  4,500  feet  high,  saw  the  eclipse  well,  and  took 
our  first  photographs  of  it.  From  one  o'clock  to  twenty 
minutes  past  we  had  a  continual  and  uninterrupted  view, 
and  went  on  taking  photographs  at  regular  intervals,  until 
at  1.30  we  had  reached  6,000  feet  high.  By  this  time  such 
a  mass  of  cloud  had  been  left  underneath  that  we  found  the 
light  80  strong  that  the  view  could  not  be  obtained  with 
our  obscured  glasses.  The  sun's  rays  were  too  powerful. 
We  countered  this  by  using  double  glasses,  and  thus  we 
were  not  only  able  to  watch  the  increasing  rays,  but  to 
continue  to  take  photographs  with  the  fumed  glass  in  front 
of  the  lens. 

We  had  now  been  in  the  air  for  one  hour,  and  heard  the 
barking  of  a  dog  underneath,  then  the  lowing  of  a  cow.  The 
sun  was  intensely  hot,  and  at  1.45  we  were  6,500  feet  high, 


882  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

with  a  clear,  but  not  blue,  sky  above.  A  brilliant  sun  was 
shining,  and  all  sight  of  the  earth  completely  lost  by  the 
immense  thickness  of  the  clouds  underneath. 

We  had  lunch,  and  noticed  that  we  had  reached  an  altitude 
of  7,000  feet.  All  was  still.  The  silence  was  supreme  when, 
with  alarming  shrillness,  the  sound  of  a  steamer's  siren  pierced 
the  clouds,  and  we  knew  that  sea  was  near. 

The  eclipse  was  over  at  2.4  p.m.,  and  one  minute  later 
the  balloon  descended  through  the  clouds.  Shoreham  lay 
beneath  as  we  descended  lower  and  lower,  but  continued 
our  course.  As  we  passed  through  the  clouds,  snowflakes 
began  to  fall.  At  2.10  we  were  across  the  coastline,  and 
at  a  quarter-past  two,  after  dropping  to  3,000  feet,  we  were 
well  out  at  sea.  Photographs  of  our  departing  native  land 
were  our  farewell.  The  coast  view  was  grand,  and  though 
the  air  was  distinctly  cold  after  our  experience  in  the  hot 
sun  above,  we  were  glad  to  be  able  to  locate  our  exact  where- 
abouts, and  note  the  speed  and  direction  of  our  course.  The 
sea  coast  and  the  inland  water  were  very  clear,  the  course  of 
the  River  Adur  clearly  marked,  and  the  two  piers  at  Brighton 
and  one  at  Worthing  were  easily  distinguished.  Clouds  were 
all  around,  and  ever  and  anon  passed  across  our  line  of  sight. 
At  2.25  p.m.  the  coast  was  disappearing.  By  means  of  the 
statoscope  we  endeavoured  to  maintain  our  equilibrium  at 
about  3,000  feet. 

This  is  a  much  more  difficult  task  than  might  be  supposed. 
A  little  ballast  is  thrown  out  to  check  the  descent,  and  almost 
before  one  realizes  it  the  ascent  begins,  and  continues  until 
the  previous  maximum  altitude  has  again  been  attained. 

At  half -past  two  we  were  well  out  to  sea,  and  our  altitude 
was  3,500  feet.  Now  the  roar  of  the  sea  alone  reached  us. 
We  had  been  up  two  hours,  and  were  slowly  rising.  A  steamer 
and  a  yacht  were  underneath,  the  coast  was  misty  in  the 
distance,  and  the  sun  peered  out  through  the  upper  clouds 
uneclipsed. 

Here  the  second  phase  of  our  trip  began  ;  we  were  no  longer 
eclipse  hunters,  but  cross-Channel  trippers.  Our  business 
now  was  to  reach  the  other  side.     The  Channel  has  beenj 


CROSSING  THE   CHANNEL  888 

crossed  by  balloon  before,  but  every  expedition  of  the  kind 
requires  careful  manoeuvring,  and  entails  a  certain  amount 
of  anxiety.  We  had  started  the  cross-sea  part  of  the  journey 
at  a  part  of  the  coast  which  meant  that  our  passage  would 
be  the  longest  yet  undertaken,  and  the  cloudy  state  of  the 
weather  and  daylight  added  considerably  to  our  difficulties, 
because  it  not  only  prevented  a  view  as  extended  as  we  could 
desire,  but  it  also  meant  considerable  variations  in  the  atmo- 
spheric temperature  as  the  balloon  rose  above  and  fell  below 
the  cloud  line.  This  entailed  the  more  frequent  discharge 
of  our  exhaustible  supply  of  ballast. 

Up  till  three  o'clock  we  passed  and  sketched  passing  steamers 
and  sailing  vessels.  One  steamer  with  red  funnels  and  black 
top  claimed  our  interest,  then  two  three-masted  sailing 
vessels. 

Exactly  at  three  o'clock  we  noted  the  peculiar  zigzag  of 
foam  left  behind  by  a  fast  screw-steamer,  and  the  complete 
circle  of  foam  around  her  as  she  ploughed  full  steam  ahead. 
From  this  hour  we  began  to  lose  sight  of  passing  craft.  The 
balloon  continued  its  course  upward,  and  we  were  left  to  our 
own  reflections.  It  was,  I  remembered,  my  fortieth  ascent, 
and  by  this  time  the  longest  cross-Channel  balloon  trip  on 
record.  We  had  been  an  hour  out,  and  were  5,500  feet  high. 
The  Channel  showed  as  a  deserted  waste  of  waters  underneath, 
with  white  foam  flecking  its  surface,  and  stray  clouds  alone 
to  break  the  grey  monotony  of  the  skies.  A  distant  moan 
suggested  the  strength  of  the  wind  as  the  sound  of  the  surface 
breakers  underneath  came  up  to  us.  There  was  no  sign  of 
coast  on  either  shore.  But  the  very  strength  of  the  wind 
was  our  best  hope. 

For  the  next  hour  the  steady  ascent  continued.  First  we 
were  above  one  cloud  mass  with  the  sun  visible ;  then,  at  half- 
past  three,  at  8,200  feet  in  the  snow  area,  with  flakes  falling 
thick  around  us  ;  then  in  cloudland,  out  of  sight  of  the  sea  ; 
afterwards  above  cloudfield,  with  sun  peering  at  us  still  through 
misty  veil  of  higher  clouds.  Our  altitude  was  then  up  to 
10,500  feet,  and  the  solitude  only  broken  by  the  distant  roar 
of  the  sea. 


884  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

We  began  to  make  our  calculations.  If  we  had  covered 
the  distance  from  London  to  Shoreham  in  an  hour  and  a  half 
we  were  moving  at  35  miles  an  hour,  so  that  we  should  cover 
the  120  miles  to  Fecamp  in  three  hours  and  forty  minutes.  This 
meant  that  we  ought  to  see  that  coast  at  a  quarter  past  four. 
At  ten  minutes  past  four  we  were  descending — a  drop  of  2,000 
feet  in  a  few  minutes — another  2,000  feet,  and  our  descent 
was  arrested  by  a  discharge  of  ballast.  We  could  hear,  but 
could  not  see,  the  sea  underneath.  A  perfect  floor-cloth  of 
white  cloud  lay  under  us.  At  about  half-past  four  the  view 
of  the  sea  burst  upon  us.  It  was  sea,  and  nothing  but  the 
sea — a  howling  waste  of  water.  Were  we  going  to  reach  the 
other  side  ?  A  thrill  of  anxiety  ran  through  us  at  the  thought. 
At  five  o'clock  we  were  again  slowly  rising,  losing  sight  of 
the  sea  as  we  again  entered  the  clouds.  Yet  we  had  had  no 
glimpse  of  land. 

The  next  half-hour  was  practically  a  repetition  of  our 
previous  rise.  At  6,000  feet  sunshine  above  as  clear  as  it  had 
been  ;  at  7,000  clear,  cool  air  ;  at  7,500  the  roar  of  the  sea 
and  a  glimpse  of  water  seen  through  a  rent  in  the  clouds. 
Slowly  we  rose  above  the  clouds  to  8,500  feet ;  heard  the  roar 
underneath. 

Shortly  after  half-past  five,  five  hours  after  the  start,  we 
seemed  to  hear  the  sea  crashing  on  the  beach  underneath. 
Were  we  crossing  the  coast  ?  No  land  sounds  reached  us, 
no  sight  of  anything  but  clouds  met  our  eyes.  In  another 
minute  we  were  descending  through  the  mist.  Note-book 
in  hand,  I  stood  watching  the  darkening  mist.  Was  it  never 
going  to  be  land  beneath  us  ? 

At  5.45  we  were  at  4,500  feet,  with  water  below. 

By  six  o'clock  we  had  descended  to  3,000  feet,  but  still  saw 
nothing  but  sea  as  far  round  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Ah,  but 
what  was  that  white  speck  ?  A  seagull,  with  a  couple  of 
friends,  to  cheer  us  in  our  loneliness. 

Turning  to  the  compass,  we  could  note  the  direction  of 
the  wind  by  watching  the  drift  on  the  surface  of  the  sea ;  the 
current  of  air  which  swept  it  was  evidently  coming  from  the 
north.     We  must,  therefore,  be  moving  in  the  right  direction. 


DESCENT  IN  FRANCE  885 

Another  weary  wait  of  half  an  hour  followed.  At  half-past 
six  a  ship  ahead  gave  us  our  first  greeting  of  human  kinship. 
By  a  quarter  to  seven  no  fewer  than  four  fishing -boats  were  in 
sight,  and  at  the  hour  we  counted  nine.  These  fishing-boats 
must  be  near  land.  They  betokened  safety,  which  the  dark 
waste  waters  behind  did  not.  Still,  no  land  was  yet  in  sight, 
and  the  balloon  had  begun  to  rise.  At  a  quarter-past  seven 
darkness  was  beginning  to  fall  as  we  pierced  our  way  through 
a  dark  cloud.  That  was  the  tensest  moment  of  our  suspense. 
We  rose  above  the  dark,  unfriendly  waters  of  the  sea  beneath 
and  passed  above  the  ominous  clouds.  Then  the  ascent 
stopped  ;  we  began  to  descend.  The  camera  was  strapped 
into  the  hoop,  so  that  if  we  got  a  wetting  the  films  recording 
the  eclipse  might  yet  be  kept  dry.  At  3,700  feet  we  noticed 
a  dark  line  ahead.  What  was  it  ?  It  appeared  first  as  merely 
a  darkness  over  the  waters,  but  it  was  edged  with  white,  and 
to  my  eye  it  meant  land.  The  white  line  marked  the  breakers 
on  the  shore,  the  darkness  the  coast-line  between  the  land 
and  sea.  It  was  some  time  before  we  could  be  quite  sure. 
Clouds  intervened,  but  the  next  descent  put  an  end  to 
doubt.  We  were  approaching  the  shore.  A  speck  of  light 
flashed  out.  Half-past  seven  and  a  quarter  to  eight  found 
the  darkness  thicker,  but  brought  the  coast  nearer  and 
nearer. 

The  eye  of  a  lighthouse  winked,  ten  seconds  dark,  fifty 
seconds  light.  Now  friendly  lights  spangled  the  dark  coast. 
Was  it  Trouville  ?  No,  because  the  country  seemed  too 
sparsely  populated 

We  approached.  The  breakers  were  beneath  us  ;  darkness 
had  closed  in.  We  were  only  1,000  feet  up.  Lower  and  lower 
we  sank.  A  shout  reached  us  from  the  shore.  We  held  out 
our  arms  to  welcome  those  who  were  waiting  to  greet  us. 
We  had  passed  the  coast-line  safely  at  last ;  land  was 
beneath  us. 

We  allowed  the  balloon  to  come  down  in  the  first  available 
fields.  The  anchor  was  thrown  out,  and  the  onward  drag  of 
the  balloon  arrested.  We  had  a  lively  anchoring.  No  one 
saw  the  descent,  and  we  dragged  over  the  open  land  while 


836  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

the  opened  valve  allowed  the  gas  to  escape.  The  grapnel 
soon  did  its  work,  and,  emptied  of  its  gas,  the  balloon  lay  an 
inert,  shapeless  mass  on  the  ground.  We  had  crossed  the 
coast  at  Langrune-sur-Mer,  Calvados.  The  name  of  the 
village  near  our  actual  landing  was,  appropriately  enough, 
La  Delivrand,  a  few  miles  from  Caen,  in  Normandy,  the  home 
and  birthplace  of  William  the  Conqueror. 

We  had  travelled  160  miles  from  our  starting-point  in 
seven  and  a  half  hours.  It  was  eight  o'clock  when  we  landed. 
We  received  every  assistance  from  the  villagers,  put  up  in 
a  local  hotel  for  the  night,  and  returned  next  day  by  train  and 
steamer,  none  the  worse  for  establishing  a  record  long-distance 
voyage  over  the  seas. 

It  was  a  very  memorable  expedition. 

I  recall  an  interesting  moonlight  voyage  through 
the  air  made  in  1906.  This  was  my  sixtieth  ascent, 
and  was  made  in  the  balloon  Dolce  Far  Niente. 

We  left  London  on  May  10th,  at  nine  o'clock,  from  the 
Wandsworth  Gas  Works,  an  hour  and  a  half  after  the  full 
moon  had  risen. 

The  journey  was  made  amid  the  ceaseless  singing  of  night- 
ingales 2,000  feet  below.  All  night,  too,  the  peewits  called 
and  the  cuckoos  only  rested  for  two  short  hours.  Through 
the  glorious  light  of  the  moon,  so  clear  and  shining  that  we 
could  see  to  read  the  evening  papers,  summer  lightning 
played  continually  with  weird  splendour.  It  was  a  night  of 
rare  delight  for  the  naturalist.  Brighton  was  our  intended 
destination.  We  wished  to  escape  from  the  swelter  of  London 
and  see  some  new  phases  of  the  earth,  particularly  to  see  the 
sunrise  from  a  height  of  several  thousand  feet.  We  took  our 
supper  aboard  and  kept  a  log  of  the  journey. 

The  first  thing  that  struck  us  as  we  sailed  away  over  Surrey 
was  the  marvellous  effect  of  the  lights  of  London.  It  was  a 
most  impressive  sight.  Imagine  millions  on  millions  of  lights, 
like  a  vast  starry  firmament,  only  upon  the  earth  itself  ;  with 


[J'holo  by  Axthot. 


A   ROUGH   DESCENT. 


Period  1907. 


\Photo  by  Dr.  l.ockyir. 
A   NIGHT   ASCENT   TO   SEE  THE   COMET. 
The  author  took  two  constables  up  captive  in  the  early  niorninj;. 
Period  lofyj. 

337 


A  MOONLIGHT  ASCENT  339 

the  lights  of  the  Big  Wheel  at  Earl's  Court  standing  out  for 
many  miles  into  the  heart  of  Surrey. 

And  then  our  own  electric  lights  were  the  cause  of  a  most 
interesting  state  of  things,  for  at  an  altitude  of  something 
like  2,000  feet  they  attracted  a  host  of  midges  or  gnats. 
We  had  not  thought  it  possible  that  they  could  fly  so  high. 

Right  through  the  night  blue  lightnings  vied  with  the 
silver  moonlight  in  lighting  our  way  ;  but  when  we  lost  the 
last  of  London's  lights  we  lost  all  clue  to  our  whereabouts, 
for  we  recognized  no  familiar  landmarks  in  the  sleeping 
country  underneath  us.  If  we  had  been  able  to  sail  a  straight 
course,  we  should  have  kept  our  bearings  all  right ;  but  the 
electric  storm  caused  the  wind  to  vary  so  much  that  it  was 
only  by  descending  now  and  then,  and  once  by  making  inquiries, 
that  we  quite  knew  where  we  were.  We  did  not  want  to 
find  ourselves  at  sea. 

It  was  delightfully  cool,  the  air  so  soft  and  genial  that  we 
needed  no  overcoats.  The  dead  quiet  and  solemn  silence 
(and  no  one  can  realize  what  stillness  means  till  he  has  been 
up  in  a  balloon  at  night)  was  only  broken  by  the  songs  of 
birds.  There  must  have  been  hundreds  of  nightingales 
singing  the  whole  night  through. 

At  the  great  height  at  which  the  balloon  travelled,  the 
voices  of  all  the  nightingales  in  many  square  miles  of  country 
below  could  be  heard  as  one  "  constant  chorus." 

It  was  just  after  midnight  that  the  cuckoos  started  calling, 
and  these  were  heard  about  half  a  dozen  together.  Also 
the  log-book  contains  the  following  entry  :  "  Two  a.m.  lark 
began."     The  peewits  never  ceased  their  plaintive  notes. 

Once  we  heard  a  mournful  moaning,  like  the  cry  of  a 
wounded  dog.  We  concluded  that  it  was  a  fox  caught  in 
a  gin. 

Half  a  dozen  times  we  descended  to  rest,  for  we  did  not 
want  to  reach  Brighton  before  morning.  The  wind  was 
never  strong,  however,  so  our  journey  was  as  placid  as  we 
could  have  desired.  Sometimes  we  dropped  into  gentlemen's 
parks,  the  car  resting  lightly  on  the  ground,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  mansions    close   by  sleeping  all  unconscious  of 


840  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

our  presence — we  even  gently  trailed  our  ropes  over  their 
roofs  and  bedrooms. 

At  descent  we  never  left  the  car.  If  one  of  us  had  done  so, 
the  balloon  would  quickly  have  risen  to  an  altitude  of  some- 
thing like  16,000  feet.  We  could  not  smoke  either,  but  we 
could  always  read,  though  we  much  preferred  watching  and 
listening. 

At  about  2  a.m.,  just  as  the  first  lark  soared  singing  to  us, 
we  dropped,  thoroughly  mystified  as  to  our  whereabouts,  in 
a  rookery  close  to  a  house.  The  rooks,  startled  out  of  their 
sleep  by  the  sudden  advent  of  our  great  car  among  their 
nests,  made  an  extraordinary  clamour.  We  halloed,  and  very 
quickly,  what  with  our  noise  and  the  increasing  cawing  of 
the  rooks,  a  gentleman  put  his  head  out  of  a  bedroom  window. 
Judge  of  his  surprise  to  see  us  sitting  in  the  top  of  his  tree, 
with  the  great  balloon  towering  above.  A  conversation 
after  this  sort  ensued  : 

*'  Goodness  gracious  !     Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Balloonists  resting.     Where  are  we  ?  " 

"  Twelve  miles  from  Brighton  going  south.  Are  you 
stuck  ?  " 

"  Oh  no,  we're  very  happy.  You  don't  mind  us  sitting 
on  top  of  your  tree,  do  you  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.     Good-night." 

And  then  the  window  banged  and  I  should  think  he  was 
soon  snoring.     But  the  rooks  didn't  settle  down  so  quickly. 

It  was  during  one  of  these  rests  by  the  way  that  we  ate 
our  supper,  afterwards  reascending  into  the  moonlight  and 
lightning.  But  when  we  found  ourselves  on  the  south  side 
of  Redhill  we  trailed  all  the  way,  otherwise  we  should  hare 
reached  the  sea  too  soon. 

Near  Brighton  Downs  the  wind  failed.  The  balloon  stopped 
dead,  and  in  a  few  moments  actually  began  to  sail  in  the 
opposite  direction.     But  the  change  was  only  temporary. 

We  made  out  that  the  cock  was  the  only  sensible  bird, 
for  he  slept  until  3  a.m.,  and  then  crowed  in  the  dawn  so 
lustily  that  he  could  be  heard  as  though  he  were  within  six 
feet  of  us. 


EASTER  HOUSE  PARTY  AT   "THE   HENDRE,"   LORD   LLANGATTOCK'S  HOME 

The  author's  new  balloon,  Dolce  far  Niente,  leaving  Monmouth  with  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls 
and  Mr.  John  Holder. 

Period  1906. 


341 


I 


THE  FIRST  AERO   CLUB   RACE  848 

After  making  a  successful  descent  at  Portslade,  just  outside 
Brighton,  at  4.30  a.m.,  we  were  back  in  London  at  10  a.m. 

The  first  Aero  Club  race,  for  a  fifty-guinea  cup 
presented  by  the  Associated  News  and  Daily  Mail 
and  Evening  News,  took  place  from  Ranelagh  Club 
on  July  7,  1906 — the  first  time  that  seven  balloons 
had  ever  ascended  in  England  from  one  spot.  The 
Club  lawn  resembled  the  enclosure  at  Ascot  on 
Cup  Day,  and  the  weather  was  ideal.  The  interest 
shown  by  a  large  and  fashionable  company  in  the 
race,  despite  the  counter-attractions  of  polo  matches 
and  a  gymkhana,  was  very  marked,  and  the  Club 
gained  several  new  recruits  before  the  start. 

By  kind  permission  of  the  War  Office  and  Colonel 
Capper,  C.B.,  R.E.  (now  General  Sir  John  Capper, 
K.C.B.),  head  of  the  Balloon  Factory  at  Aldershot, 
a  balloon  section  of  the  Royal  Engineers  assisted 
in  the  inflation  and  sending  off  of  the  balloons. 
Captain  King,  R.E.,  and  Lieutenant  Wright,  R.E., 
sent  off  pilot  balloons  to  ascertain  the  direction 
and  strength  of  the  wind.  As  what  little  wind 
there  was  came  from  the  south-west,  a  perimeter 
race  was  decided  on,  the  winner  to  be  the  balloon 
that  descended  nearest  to  Ingatestone,  a  little 
village  near  Chelmsford. 

The  following  took  part  in  the  race,  starting  at 
4  p.m.  in  the  order  named  : 

(1)  Aero  Club  No.  3  (50,000  feet  capacity),  Mr.  C.  F.  Pollock 
aeronaut  in  charge ;  passengers,  Princess  di  Teano  and 
Viscount  Royston. 

(2)  Dolce  Far  Niente  (45,000  feet),  Mr.  Hedges  Butler 
aeronaut  in  charge  ;  passengers,  Colonel  Capper,  C.B.,  R.E., 
and  Mrs.  Capper. 


844  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

(3)  Zenith  (42,000  feet),  Professor  A.  K.  Huntington 
aeronaut  in  charge  ;  passengers,  Mr.  Martin  Dale  and  Mr. 
H.  Perrin. 

(4)  Carnation  (35,000  feet),  Mr.  GriflSth  Brewer  aeronaut 
in  charge  ;    passenger,  Mr.  Walter  Stewart. 

(5)  Venus  (42,000  feet),  Mr.  Moore-Brabazon  aeronaut  in 
charge  ;  passengers.  Miss  Krabbe  and  Mr.  Warwick  Wright. 

(6)  Midget  (17,000  feet),  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls. 

(7)  Enchantress  (50,000  feet),  Mr.  Leslie  Bucknall  aeronaut 
in  charge  ;   passengers,  Mr.  Ernest  and  Mr.  Leonard  Bucknall. 

My  balloon,  the  Dolce  Far  Niente,  descended 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  railway  station 
and  secured  the  first  prize.  The  second  prize  was 
awarded  to  Aero  Club  No.  3. 

On  September  30,  1906,  I  was  a  competitor 
with  Mr.  Griffith  Brewer  in  the  Gordon-Bennett 
balloon  race.  Sixteen  balloons  started  from  the 
Tuileries  in  Paris,  and  seven  nations  were 
represented.  We  covered  a  distance  of  120 
miles  in  the  balloon  City  of  London  (77,000  feet), 
and  came  down  at  Blonville-sur-Mer,  Calvados, 
Normandy,  haK  a  mile  from  the  sea.  The  race  was 
won  by  Lieutenant  Frank  P.  Lahm,  of  America,  who 
landed  at  Flying  Dales,  in  Yorkshire.  On  May  25, 
1907,  the  Dolce  Far  Niente,  carrying  Captain  W. 
A.  de  C.  King,  K.E.,  Lieutenant  Wright,  R.E.,  and 
myseK,  won  the  cup  presented  for  competition  by 
Mrs.  Assheton  Harbord.  The  race  was  governed 
by  the  Aero  Club  International  Federation  rules. 
It  was  not  a  contest  of  speed,  the  winning  balloon 
being  that  which  should  descend  nearest  to  a  point 
selected  by  the  organizing  committee  of  the  Aero 
Club  immediately  before  the  start.  Nine  balloons 
competed.    Goring  in  Oxfordshire  was  fixed  as  the 


IPiloto  by  tli^/it. 
AX   IXTERNATIOXAL   BALLOOX   CONTEST  OF  THIRTY-ONE   BALLOONS 
FROM    HURLINGHAM. 


J'eriod  u>o8. 


The  late  Field-Marshal  Earl  Roberts  is  in  the  fore.ijround. 


345 


I 


THE  GORDON-BENNETT  RACE  347 

place  of  descent,  and  it  was  there  that  we  came 

down,  200   yards  from  the   appointed  spot.  The 
result  of  the  race  was  recorded  as  follows : 

Mr.  Hedges  Butler's  Dolce  Far  Niente        . .          . .  1 

Colonel  Capper's  Pegasus      . .          . .          . .          . .  2 

Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls's  Nebula 3 


THE  GLORIOUS  DEAD 

Both  my  companions,  Captain  King,  R.E.,  and 
Lieutenant  Wright,  R.E.,  rewarded  after  his  death 
with  the  V.C.,  were  killed  in  the  Great  War  of 
1914-18. 

Whom  the  gods  loved  they  gave  in  youth's  first 

flower 
One  infinite  hour  of  glory.     That  same  hour, 
Before  a  leaf  droops  from  the  laurel,  come 
Winged  Death  and  Sleep  to  bear  Sarpedon  home. 

Iliad  xvi.  676-83. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

AIRSHIP  AND  AEROPLANE  FLIGHTS 

On  June  14,  1907,  I  was  introduced  at  the  French 
Aero  Club  at  St. -Cloud  by  Mr.  Alan  Hawley, 
President  of  the  American  Aero  Club,  to  a  Mr. 
Wilbur  Wright,  who  in  casual  conversation  told 
me  he  could  fly  !  This,  I  think,  came  to  me  as  the 
greatest  surprise  of  my  life,  and  I  quote  the  follow- 
ing record  of  the  meeting  with  Mr.  Wright  as 
written  subsequently  for  the  editor  of  Answers : 

What  did  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  really  mean  1  It  was  a  puzzle 
to  me.  Yet  even  then,  somehow,  his  words  and  look  seemed 
to  carry  conviction  to  my  mind.  I  felt  certain  that  he  could 
do  what  he  said. 

"  I  can  fly,"  said  he,  "  just  when  I  like,  where  I  like,  and 
almost  as  many  miles  as  I  like  !  My  brother  and  I  have  flown 
in  remote  places  in  the  States  many  and  many  a  time  during 
the  past  four  years.  We've  learned  the  secret.  We've  got 
the  machine  ;  and  we  can  do  it !  " 

I  simply  sat  staring  at  him  in  wonderment  and  perplexity. 
Yet,  as  I  say,  I  was  absolutely  convinced  he  spoke  the  truth. 
And  that  was  my  first  introduction  to  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright. 

He  told  me  he  had  come  to  Europe  to  sell  his  patent  rights 
in  this  extraordinary  machine.  He  had  first  offered  them 
to  the  American  Government,  who  had  refused  to  buy.  Then 
he  had  come  over  the  ocean  and  made  the  same  offer  to  the 
English  and  German  nations,  who  had  also  both  seen  nothing 

848 


I 


349 


i 


WILBUR  WRIGHT  351 

in  them  !  So  he  was  now  in  Paris  negotiating  with  a  French 
sjTidicate  for  the  sale  of  this  great  discovery.  At  first  they, 
too,  fought  shy  of  it,  and  almost  refused  ;  but,  finally,  they 
agreed  to  purchase  the  Wrights'  invention. 

That  night  I  speak  of,  after  we  had  had  a  quiet  dinner  of 
stewed  eels  and  potted  hare  at  a  small  restaurant  in  St. -Cloud, 
on  the  Seine,  Wilbur  Wright  came  to  see  me  off  in  a  balloon, 
with  Mr.  Hawley.  It  was  my  eighty-seventh  ascent,  and  in 
a  gale  ;  and,  crossing  several  frontiers — Belgium,  Germany, 
and  the  Rhine — we  made  a  descent  close  to  the  Zuyder  Zee, 
in  Holland. 

I  bade  him  a  warm  "  Good-bye  !  "  and  as  the  balloon 
ascended,  I  watched  this  wonderful  man  stroll  back  quietly 
to  his  hotel,  evidently  thinking  deeply  all  the  time.  And  up 
in  the  air  my  own  mind  was  a  mass  of  bewilderment.  I  could 
not  comprehend  that  the  great  problem  which  had  puzzled 
ages  was  solved.  I  looked  at  the  speck  of  a  man  just  visible 
below,  and  I  whispered  to  myself,  half  in  awe,  "  Think  of  it  ! 
Great  Heaven,  that  man  can  fly  !  " 

When  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  came  over  to  Europe  again,  in 
1908,  he  kindly  invited  me  to  have  a  trip  in  his  wonderful 
machine,  which  I  did.  Thus,  as  early  as  October  1908,  at 
Le  Mans,  I  went  up  with  him  for  the  first  time  on  an  aeroplane, 
to  my  own  unbounded  delight.  The  late  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls 
and  myself  had  been  the  first  civilian  Englishmen  to  go  up  in 
a  dirigible  airship — the  ViUe  de  Paris — in  1907.  We  made 
our  hundredth  balloon  ascent  together,  and  now  we  were 
among  the  pioneers  to  go  up  in  an  aeroplane.  I  shall 
never  forget  that  day  at  Le  Mans  with  Wilbur  Wright.  Yes, 
he  could  fly,  indeed  ;    and  I  had  flown  with  him  ! 

And  one  thing  is  certain.  The  marvellous  deeds  of  Farman, 
Rolls,  Bleriot,  Paulhan,  White,  and  even  of  Santos-Dumont 
may  rank  high,  may  loom  large  in  the  future  when  is  written 
the  history  of  what  happened  soon  after  1901  came  in.  But 
the  great  name  above  all  will  be  that  of  the  man  with  the 
frank  face,  the  blue  eyes,  the  firm  chin,  whom  I  met  that 
night  in  1907  for  the  first  time.  His  name,  and  that  of  his 
brother,  will  be  immortal  in  this  wonderful  story — the  names 

15 


352  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

of  Wilbur  and  Orville  Wright.  For  they  were  the  first  human 
beings  who  successfully  experimented  ;  who  made  the  first 
successful  heavier-than-air  machine  ;  who  first  made  fiying 
possible  ;  who  first  really  flew  ! 

At  the  end  of  June  I  was  back  in  England  to  take 
part  in  the  long-distance  balloon  race  for  the 
Hedges  Butler  Challenge  Cup.  Eight  balloons 
started,  and  the  event  was  remarkable  because  it 
took  place  in  a  heavy  thunderstorm.  With  Cap- 
tain King,  I  ascended  myself  in  the  Dolce  Far 
Niente,  but  under  the  weight  of  water  it  was  im- 
possible to  get  very  far.  The  rain,  lightning,  and 
thunder  were  terrific,  and  we  came  down  in  a 
private  enclosure  near  the  Robin  Hood  Gate  of 
Richmond  Park.  Another  balloon,  the  Enchari' 
tresSf  descended  in  a  field  o£E  Burntwood  Lane, 
Earlsfield,  at  5.20  p.m.  The  anchor  of  the  balloon 
tore  off  the  corner  of  a  coping-stone,  smashed  two 
windows,  and  tore  some  slates  from  the  roof  of  a 
house  in  Trenchfort  Street,  Earlsfield.  Mr.  Ernest 
Bucknall  and  Mr.  Martin  Dale  were  not  injured 
in  any  way,  though  they  received  an  electric 
shock. 

The  Diamond,  containing  Professor  Huntington, 
with  Mr.  J.  T.  Moore-Brabazon  and  Miss  Moore- 
Brabazon,  descended  safely  at  Beddington  Lane 
Station,  near  Croydon,  their  ballast  having  been 
exhausted. 

Lord  Royston,  with  Mr.  Alan  Hawley,  in  the 
Suffolk,  descended  at  Bromley.  Aero  Club  No.  4, 
with  Major  Baden-Powell  and  Mr.  Vere  Ker- 
Seymer,  came  down  at  Roehampton,  and  the 
Britannia,  with  the  Hon.   C.   S.   Rolls  on  board, 


1 


I 


THE  HEDGES  BUTLER  CHALLENGE  CUP. 


Period  1906. 


853 


THE  BUTLER  CUP— THE   VILLE  BE  PARIS    355 

descended  at  Wimbledon  Common.  The  VenuSy 
carrying  Mr.  J.  T.  Moore-Brabazon,  came  down 
at  Wimbledon  Park,  and  the  Satellite,  Mr.  C.  F. 
Pollock,  reached  the  ground  at  Long  Ditton. 

In  November  1907  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls  and 
myself  were  the  first  Englishmen  to  make  an 
ascent  in  a  dirigible  airship,  not  belonging  to  the 
Government,  to  start  and  return  to  the  same 
point.  The  airship  was  the  Ville  de  Paris.  M. 
Henry  Kapferer  was  the  pilot  and  M.  Paulhan  the 
mechanic.  We  started  from  and  returned  to  Sar- 
trouville,  Paris.  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  the 
description  of  the  voyage  as  written  by  Mr.  Rolls  : 

A  white  fog  pressed  close  to  my  bedroom  window  like  a 
blanket  of  fleecy  wool.  Not  a  pleasant  sight  for  a  man  who 
has  to  take  his  first  voyage  in  an  airship.  I  had  visions  of 
being  fog-bound  in  the  seas  of  the  air,  of  drifting  helplessly 
on  to  the  grey  stones  of  Notre  Dame,  or  crashing  against  the 
great  steel  structure  of  the  Eiffel  Tower.  The  whole  city 
would  be  a  submerged  reef  of  rocks. 

It  was  to  be  my  hundredth  balloon  ascent,  and  was  to  be 
made  in  the  company  of  my  friend  Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler, 
who  had  also  accomplished  ninety-nine  ascents.  Like  the 
true  sportsman  that  he  is,  he  had  waited  for  me  to  get  level 
with  him,  so  that  we  could  make  the  century  together. 

And  this  was  to  be  no  ordinary  balloon  ascent.  M. 
Henri  Deutsch  de  la  Meurthe  had  courteously  placed  his 
dirigible  airship,  the  Ville  de  Paris,  at  our  disposal.  It  was 
an  occasion — something  to  be  remembered  in  after  years. 
The  densest  fog  that  was  ever  conceived  in  the  smoke  of 
London  would  not  have  prevented  us  from  hoping  that  we 
should  be  allowed  to  take  the  trip. 

We  drove  in  a  taxicab  to  Sartrouville,  and  found  the  fog 
denser  than  it  was  in  Paris  ;  and  when  we  entered  the  enor- 
mous garage,  or  shed,  where  the  Ville  de  Paris  lay  like  some 


856  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

sleeping  leviathan,  we  could  hardly  see  from  one  end  to  the 
other.  Then  the  chief  and  second  engineers  arrived.  They 
made  final  adjustments  to  the  mechanism  and  tested  the 
engines.  Before  they  had  finished,  the  chief  navigator — the 
captain — came  upon  the  scene,  and  held  council  with  his 
officers.  They  decided  to  have  lunch.  It  was  possible  that 
the  fog  might  clear  by  the  time  we  had  finished  our  meal. 

The  airship  was  in  a  deserted  spot,  and  so  we  motored  to 
St. -Germain,  and  lunched  at  the  famous  Pavilion  Henri 
Quatre.  On  our  way  there  we  were  turned  back  by  a  gendarme 
in  the  Park.  He  informed  us  that  no  kind  of  mechanically 
propelled  vehicle  was  allowed  in  the  vicinity  of  this  sacred 
enclosure.  Little  did  he  think  that  a  couple  of  hours  later 
we  should  be  sailing  over  his  head  and  jeering  at  his  impotent 
wrath. 

On  our  return  to  Sartrouville  the  fog  had  almost  dispersed. 
The  crew  of  the  airship  were  ready.  M.  Kapferer,  the  chief 
navigator,  gave  a  signal,  and  the  quiet  shed  became  a  scene 
of  bustling  activity. 

Bang !  Bang !  Bang !  My  heart  went  into  my  boots. 
Something  had  exploded !  There  had  been  an  accident  1 
There  would  be  no  ascent,  after  all. 

But  I  was  mistaken.  It  was  only  a  prearranged  signal 
to  some  paid  helpers  in  the  neighbourhood,  who  were  required 
to  hold  the  vessel  down  at  the  start.  Before  many  minutes 
had  elapsed  they  were  on  the  scene,  and  twenty  lined  up  on 
each  side  of  the  framework.  The  word  of  command  was 
given,  and  the  huge  cylinder,  nearly  200  feet  in  length,  began 
to  thrust  its  nose  out  of  the  end  of  the  shed. 

Foot  by  foot  it  emerged,  like  some  antediluvian  monster 
creeping  from  its  lair,  until  it  stood  on  the  open  manoeuvring 
ground.  I  was  busy  with  my  camera,  when  I  heard  my 
name  called.  It  was  my  turn  to  go  on  board.  Mr.  Butler 
was  already  seated  on  a  camp-stool  in  the  stern  of  the  ship. 
He  looked  warm  and  comfortable  in  the  thick  suit  he  used 
for  tobogganing  in  Switzerland.  It  would  doubtless  be  cold 
when  we  rushed  through  the  air,  for  this  was  not  ordinary 
ballooning.     It  was  an  aerial  motor-ride. 


357 


A  TRIP  IN  A  DIRIGIBLE  859 

I  took  my  place  behind  the  navigating-bridge  and  watched 
the  trimming  of  the  ship,  which  was  evidently  a  matter  of 
supreme  importance.  Ballast  was  being  discharged  in  small 
quantities  from  bow  and  stern  alternately.  The  captain 
kept  his  eye  on  the  clinometer,  an  instrument  for  indicating 
the  exact  horizontal  poise  of  the  vessel. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  there  were  any  signs  of  buoyancy, 
for  the  balloon  was  still  heavy  with  the  moisture  from  the 
fog.  Then  at  last  the  bows  lifted,  first  a  few  inches,  then  a 
foot  or  two.  She  was  still  "  down  by  the  stern,"  however. 
It  was  suggested  that  Mr.  Frank  Butler  should  move  for'ard, 
but  the  difficulty  was  met  by  the  discharge  of  more  ballast 
from  the  after-part  of  the  vessel. 

"  All  clear  !  "  The  words  rang  out  above  the  chatter  of 
voices.  I  had  often  heard  them  before,  but  never  under  such 
circumstances  as  these.  The  voices  grew  fainter  and  fainter. 
The  voices  dropped  away  from  us.     The  voyage  had  begun. 

"  Slow  ahead  !  "  No  voice  this  time,  but  a  ring  on  the 
telegraph  to  the  engine-room.  The  engine  roared  ;  the  ship 
trembled  from  stem  to  stern  ;  the  wind  brushed  past  our 
faces.  This  was  something  worth  living  for.  It  was  the 
conquest  of  the  air. 

Then  suddenly  the  engine  stopped.  The  vessel  turned 
round  at  right  angles  to  her  course,  and  we  drifted  broadside 
on  with  the  wind,  like  any  ordinary  balloon.  I  began  to  think 
of  unpleasant  things.  The  descent  of  our  200  feet  cylinder, 
shorn  of  its  motive  power,  and  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  wind, 
was  something  I  did  not  care  to  contemplate. 

The  engineers  struggled  with  the  machinery  in  the  fore-part 
of  the  vessel.  Our  navigator  shouted  down  the  telephone  to 
ascertain  the  cause  of  the  stoppage.  No  intelligible  reply 
was  received,  but  the  men  gesticulated  wildly.  I  began  to 
feel  uncomfortable.  I  thought  of  all  likely  and  unlikely 
accidents.  I  almost  wished  that  I  had  made  my  hundredth 
ascent  in  an  ordinary  balloon,  where  there  was  no  machinery. 
Those  wild  movements,  that  speechless  excitement  which 
can  give  no  intelligible  answer  to  a  captain's  questions  or 
commands  1    Many  a  vessel  had  been  wrecked  at  sea  through 


860  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

the  crew  and  engineers  losing  their  heads.  And  a  wreck 
here — hundreds  of  feet  above  the  earth 

My  thoughts  were  interrupted  by  the  welcome  sound  of 
the  engines.  I  had  made  no  allowance  for  the  Gallic  tempera- 
ment. Nothing  serious  had  happened,  after  all.  A  faulty 
adjustment  of  the  carburettor — a  mere  incident  in  the  daily 
life  of  a  motorist. 

We  made  up  our  leeway  and  headed  for  Paris.  Then  the 
captain  spoke  down  the  telephone,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
the  engine-room  telegraph  was  moved  to  "  Full  speed  ahead." 
We  had  already  felt  the  cold  rush  of  the  air,  but  now  the 
wind  roared  past  us  with  the  fury  of  a  gale.  The  navigator 
drew  his  peaked  cap  tighter  on  to  his  head  and  put  on  his 
goggles  and  a  scarf.  We  turned  up  our  coat  collars  and  clung 
to  the  side  of  the  ship,  which  trembled  like  a  torpedo-destroyer 
as  the  powerful  engines  forced  it  through  the  atmosphere. 
This  was  speed  with  a  vengeance  :  not  the  silent  speed  of  a 
balloon,  which,  even  when  it  is  travelling  at  40  miles  an 
hour,  seems  to  be  almost  at  rest,  but  the  fierce  speed  of  some- 
thing that  is  being  driven  against  a  resisting  force — the  speed 
of  power. 

The  course  was  set  for  Issy-les-Moulineaux,  where  we  hoped 
to  witness  some  aeroplane  trials  on  the  parade-ground.  But 
as  we  approached  Paris  we  entered  a  slight  fog.  So  we 
decided  to  take  a  trip  in  the  open  country. 

The  ship  was  swung  round,  and  as  we  again  approached 
Sartrouville  the  fog  began  to  clear  and  the  huge  garage-shed 
came  into  sight.  Thence  we  sailed  to  St.-Germain,  and 
floated  over  the  Pavilion  Henri  Quatre,  where  we  had  been 
lunching  earlier  in  the  day.  The  hotel  people  came  out  and 
waved  to  us  frantically.  When  we  had  told  them  we  were 
going  a  voyage  in  an  airship  they  had  refused  to  believe  us, 
but  now  they  had  the  evidence  of  their  own  eyes. 

By  this  time  we  were  quite  used  to  the  novel  sensation  of 
being  on  an  airship,  and  we  walked  about  the  deck  like  seasoned 
mariners  of  the  air.  We  took  photographs  and  admired 
the  view 

It  might  be  supposed  that  this  voyage  provided  hardly 


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361 


BALLOONS   AND  AIRSHIPS  368 

any  new  experiences  for  anyone  having  already  made  ninety- 
nine  ascents  in  a  balloon.  But  such  was  not  the  case.  The 
sensation  of  being  in  an  airship  is  entirely  different  to  that  of 
being  in  a  balloon. 

If  I  was  asked  to  describe  the  difference  in  a  few  words, 
I  should  say  that  my  hundredth  ascent  in  the  air  was  less 
pleasant  but  more  exciting  than  any  of  the  others  that  pre- 
ceded it.  A  balloon  moves  at  the  same  rate  as  the  wind, 
and  there  is  no  sense  of  motion.  One  glides  peacefully  through 
the  air,  which  seems  still  ;  and  even  where  there  is  a  strong 
breeze  one  does  not  feel  the  cold. 

But  in  an  airship  the  conditions  are  quite  different.  One 
is  driven  rapidly  through  the  air  ;  the  cold  is  intense,  as  the 
wind  rushes  past  with  the  fury  of  a  gale  ;  the  framework  of 
the  ship  quivers  with  the  vibration  of  the  engines.  There  is, 
however,  practically  no  pitching  or  oscillating,  except  for  a 
moment  when  the  course  is  altered,  or  when  the  vessel  is  struck 
by  a  sudden  squall. 

Moreover,  there  is  no  tendency  to  air-sickness  of  any  kind. 
As  in  a  balloon,  one  feels  no  giddiness,  for  there  is  no  connection 
between  the  eye  and  the  ground  ;  it  is  like  looking  upon  a 
map.  If  there  were  anything  between  the  ship  and  the  ground 
that  the  eye  could  follow,  such  as  a  precipice,  a  man  would 
grow  dizzy  as  he  looked  into  the  depths. 

I  must  confess  that  it  took  me  some  time  to  attain  the 
same  feeling  of  security  that  one  has  in  an  ordinary  balloon. 
A  number  of  unpleasant  things  occurred  to  me  as  we  rushed 
through  the  air. 

I  wondered  what  would  happen  if,  for  instance,  the  rear- 
most propeller-shaft  bearing  were  to  break.  The  whole 
propeller  would  probably  fall  to  earth,  and  carry  with  it  a 
portion  of  the  shafting.  The  airship,  released  of  the  weight, 
would  shoot  up  like  a  rocket  and  drift  away  with  the  wind 
like  an  ordinary  balloon.  As  it  ascended,  the  gas  would 
expand  and  blow  out  the  safety-valve.  The  ship  would  rise 
through  the  clouds,  and,  as  the  rays  of  the  sun  fell  on  the 
envelope,  the  gas  would  expand  still  more  rapidly.  Then 
there  would  come  a  point  when  the  lifting  power  of  the  balloon 


864  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

would  become  less  than  its  weight,  and  it  would  begin 
to  fall. 

As  it  re-entered  the  clouds  the  gas  would  contract,  the 
envelope  would  grow  heavy  with  moisture,  and  the  whole 
structure  would  fall  with  terrible  swiftness.  The  weight  of 
the  airship,  with  all  its  machinery,  would  be  so  great  that  it 
would  be  almost  impossible  to  check  the  descent  with  the 
quantity  of  ballast  usually  carried.  It  would  crash  on  to 
the  ground  ;  and  the  framework,  which  is  necessarily  rigid 
and  unable  to  withstand  serious  blows,  would  probably  break 
in  pieces.  Another  portion  of  frame  or  machinery  would  be 
lost,  and  the  ship  might  once  more  soar  up  into  the  clouds. 

The  same  process  of  expansion  and  contraction  would  take 
place,  but  this  time  the  descent  would  be  more  rapid,  and 
there  would  be  little  or  no  ballast  left  to  break  the  fall.  The 
aeronauts'  only  chance  of  escaping  with  their  lives  would  be 
to  descend  into  a  thick  wood. 

Such  an  accident  as  this  is  not  very  likely  to  arise  in  a 
carefully  constructed  airship,  but  a  mere  breakdown  such  as 
was  not  unheard  of  in  the  early  days  of  motoring — a  stoppage 
in  the  petrol  pipes,  a  short  circuit,  or  a  hot  bearing — might 
be  attended  with  serious  consequences.  The  airship  would 
be  turned  into  an  ordinary  balloon,  while  its  great  weight 
and  bulk  and  its  unyielding  rigidity  would  render  a  descent, 
when  travelling  at  the  same  speed  as  the  wind,  both  difficult 
and  dangerous. 

In  the  case  of  an  ordinary  balloon  the  passengers  are  pro- 
tected by  a  flexible  wicker-work  car,  which  gives  to  the 
shock,  and  from  which  it  is  very  difficult  to  fall  out ;  but  in 
the  case  of  an  airship  the  car  is  a  stifE  wooden  or  tubular 
framework,  with  sides  that  are  open  in  places,  and  which 
would  easily  fracture  on  violent  contact  with  the  earth. 

I  thought  of  all  these  possibilities  while  we  were  flying 
through  the  air,  and  I  realized  how  much  depended  on  the 
motor  and  the  man  in  charge  of  the  engine.  But  the  latter 
seemed  so  supremely  happy,  and  the  engine  was  beating  with 
such  perfect  rhythm,  that  I  gradually  became  as  confident  as 
the  captain,  and  soon  lost  all  sense  of  fear. 


UNPLEASANT  POSSIBILITIES— DESCENT    865 

The  Ville  de  Paris  had  been  rightly  called  a  ship,  for  in 
many  ways  she  resembled  her  sisters  of  the  sea.  The  captain 
stood,  or  rather  sat,  at  his  post  on  the  bridge  ;  close  to  his 
hand  were  the  telephone  and  telegraph  to  the  engine-room, 
the  two  steering-wheels  (for  an  airship  moves  both  in  vertical 
and  horizontal  planes),  the  aneroid  for  indicating  altitude, 
the  self-recording  barometer,  the  thermometer,  and  a  number 
of  mysterious  levers  and  gauges. 

Like  the  captain  of  a  vessel,  the  navigator  steers  by  chart 
and  compass,  consults  them  frequently,  and  traces  his  course 
on  the  map.  And,  like  any  other  sailor  in  charge  of  a  ship, 
he  has  to  keep  his  undivided  attention  upon  his  work  ;  he  has 
to  be  quick  to  think,  and  quick  to  act,  cool  in  moments  of 
danger,  a  man  of  authority. 

We  sailed  out  into  the  clear  sky  again,  and  continued  our 
voyage.  As  we  passed  over  the  forest  of  St.-Germain  we 
caught  sight  of  a  hunt,  in  which  M.  Henri  Deutsch  de  la 
Meurthe  was  taking  part.  Needless  to  say,  we  descended, 
and  skimmed  just  over  the  tops  of  the  trees,  exchanging 
greetings  with  the  huntsmen,  much  to  their  amusement. 

At  one  time  a  fort  lay  beneath  us.  How  easy  it  would 
have  been  to  have  dropped  a  bomb  behind  the  ramparts  and 
blown  the  defenders  to  pieces  !  Small  wonder  that  the 
military  experts  of  all  the  great  nations  are  devoting  their 
brains  and  energies  to  the  development  of  this  new  and 
terrible  engine  of  war. 

Before  our  voyage  came  to  an  end,  M.  Kapferer  put  the 
airship  through  her  paces,  just  to  show  us  how  wonderfully 
she  answered  her  helm.  She  moved  as  gracefully  and  easily 
as  a  bird.  Upwards  and  downwards,  to  right  and  left,  however 
the  navigator  chose  to  guide  her,  she  swooped  and  curved 
with  incredible  swiftness  and  accuracy.  Twice  she  described 
a  complete  figure  of  eight  as  skilfully  as  any  skater  at  Prince's. 

Our  starting-place  was  now  near  at  hand,  and  the  crew 
began  to  make  preparations  for  our  descent.  I  fancied  that 
the  final  landing  would  be  by  no  means  the  least  exciting 
part  of  the  journey. 

We  were  travelling  with  the  wind,  which  had  freshened 


866  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

somewhat  since  the  start,  and  were  running  before  it  at  the 
rate  of  nearly  40  miles  an  hour.  To  an  ordinary  balloonist 
it  seemed  we  were  in  for  a  lively  time.  It  was  still  misty, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  keep  a  sharp  look  out  ahead.  My 
task  had  alread}'^  been  allotted  to  me.  I  was  to  discharge 
the  huge  trail-rope  at  the  word  of  command,  and  I  "  stood 
by,"  as  the  sailors  have  it.  At  a  time  like  this  there  was  no 
place  for  an  idle  passenger. 

Then,  suddenly,  the  great  garage-shed  loomed  up  out  of 
the  mist,  and  in  a  moment  we  had  flashed  past  it,  only  just 
clearing  the  roof. 

"  Overshot  the  mark,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  and  badly  too." 
I  expected  to  hear  the  beat  of  the  engine  die  away  into  silence, 
or  at  any  rate,  throb  more  slowly  as  the  speed  was  reduced. 
But  we  continued  to  rush  through  the  air  at  full  speed. 

Then  suddenly  the  airship  lurched,  like  a  vessel  struck  by 
a  squall.  I  clung  to  the  side,  as  the  helm  was  put  hard  over 
and  the  great  machine  swerved  round  into  the  wind. 

I  understood  the  manoeuvre  at  once.  I  had  been  a  fool 
to  think  that  we  had  accidentally  overshot  the  mark.  They 
were  going  to  shoot  her  up  to  her  moorings  against  the  tide, 
in  this  case  a  swift  current  of  air  instead  of  water. 

The  speed  slackened  as  we  fought  our  way  back  against 
the  wind.  The  shed  came  in  sight  again,  and  the  aeroplanes 
were  set  so  as  to  force  us  downwards.  We  were  now  almost 
over  the  manoeuvring  ground,  and  a  great  concourse  of  people 
had  gathered  to  await  our  return. 

The  engine-room  telegraph  rang,  and  the  speed  was  reduced 
till  it  just  held  us  up  against  the  wind.  Lower  and  lower  we 
sank  towards  the  earth  ;  the  word  of  command  was  given  ; 
I  discharged  the  great  trail -rope,  which  unwound  itself  as 
it  fell,  and  was  pipped  by  a  score  of  willing  hands  ;  the  pro- 
peller still  moved  to  keep  us  head-to -wind  ;  and  then  we 
floated  on  to  the  ground  almost  without  knowing  we  had 
touched  it. 

Cheers  went  up  from  the  crowd  as  they  watched  this 
supreme  triumph  on  the  part  of  the  navigator.  We  collected 
our  cameras  and  instruments  and  alighted  on  solid  earth 
once  more. 


367 


MOORING— THE   WRIGHT  BROTHERS       869 

We  bade  farewell  to  M.  Kapferer  and  to  M.  Paulhan,  the 
clever  and  genial  young  engineer  of  the  ship.  Then  we 
returned  to  Paris,  delighted  to  have  been  the  first  Englishmen 
to  go  a  voyage  in  a  private  airship. 

We  spent  the  evening  at  our  hotel  in  the  company  of  M. 
Henri  Deutsch  de  la  Meurthe,  the  owner  of  the  Ville  de  Paris 
and  one  of  the  most  hospitable  men  in  France.  His  name 
will  always  be  remembered  in  connection  with  the  early  days 
of  the  conquest  of  the  air,  for  he  has  done  much  to  further 
the  science  of  aeronautics  ;  and  among  the  numerous  valu- 
able prizes  he  has  offered  is  the  one  recently  captured  by 
Mr.  Farman. 

The  next  morning  the  whole  experience  seemed  like  a  dream, 
and  it  was  hard  to  believe  that  we  had  not  merely  been 
reading  a  story  by  Jules  Verne  or  H.  G.  Wells. 

Exactly  twenty  hours  after  our  ascent  the  Patrie  was  lost ; 
and  the  Ville  de  Paris,  thanks  to  the  generosity  of  its  owner, 
was  handed  over  to  the  French  Government. 

We  were  glad  to  think  we  had  taken  the  opportunity  when 
it  had  been  offered  to  us.  If  we  had  waited  another  day 
or  two,  the  chance  might  have  been  lost  to  us  for  ever. 

The  first  man-birds  were  Wilbur  and  Orville 
Wright,  and  the  first  passengers  to  make  a  flight 
in  a  Wright  aeroplane  returning  to  the  same  point 
were  the  following  : 


September  16 
September  25 
September  28 
September  28 
October  3 
October  3 
October  5 
October  6 
October  7 


1908. 

.  M.  Ernest  Zeus 

.  M.  Paul  Zeus 
M.  Tissaudier 

.  M.  Lambert 

.  M.  Dickin 

.  M.  Reichel 

.  M.  Pellier 

.  Mr.  Fordyce 

.  Mr.  Hart  0.  Berg 


/ 


870  FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 


October  7 
October  7 
October  7 
October  7 
October  8 
October  8 
October  8 
October  8 


Mrs.  Hart  O.  Berg 

M.  Jamin 

M.  Michalopoulo 

M.  SeldotenkofE 

Mr.  Griffith  Brewer 

Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls 

Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler 

Major  Baden- Powell 


The  Automotor  contained  the  following  comment 
on  these  flights  : 

An  incident  of  extraordinary  interest  and  historic  impor- 
tance took  place  at  Auvours  on  Thursday,  October  8th,  when 
Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  took  as  passengers  on  his  aeroplane  four 
Englishmen  in  succession.  They  are  the  first  residents  of 
the  United  Kingdom  who  can  claim  to  have  flown  and  returned 
to  the  same  starting-point,  and,  as  it  was  only  appropriate, 
the  veteran  aeronaut,  Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler,  had  the  record 
duration,  with  a  flight  of  4  min.  31f  sees.  The  Hon.  C.  S. 
Rolls,  from  whom  we  have  received  a  most  interesting  account 
of  his  experience,  which  appears  elsewhere,  made  a  flight 
lasting  4  mins.  27-|  sees.,  while  Major  Baden-Powell  and  Mr. 
Griffith  Brewer  were  aloft  for  4  mins.  25  sees.,  and  4  mins. 
22|^  sees,  respectively.  Subsequent  to  the  flights  Mr.  Griffith 
Brewer  entertained  Mr.  Wright  and  his  compatriots  at  lun- 
cheon, when  the  famous  aviator  related  some  of  the  more 
interesting  experiences  of  the  days  when  he  was  learning  the 
art  of  flight  at  Dakota  and  Eatty  Hawk. 

In  the  Sportsman  of  October  13,  1908,  I  pub- 
lished the  following  impressions  of  my  flight : 

Like  a  bird  in  a  cage,  yes  !  I  have  flown  !  To  look  back 
seems  like  a  dream,  but  I  have  seen  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  fly 
for  over  an  hour  by  day  and  by  night.  I  have  also  seen 
sixteen  passengers,  including  two  ladies,  make  a  flight  with 
him.     One  asks  what  it  feels  like  to  fly ;  the  answer  is,  there 


THE  WRIGHTS— FIRST   PASSENGERS       871 

is  no  sensation  whatever :  it  is  as  if  man  has  always  flown. 
To  give  an  idea,  it  is  like  gliding  over  sparkling  water  where 
you  can  see  the  bottom.  A  perfect  feeling  of  security  and 
stability  ;  turning  the  corners  and  tipping  the  wings  is  like 
skating  on  the  outside  edge.  Wright  feels  his  levers  and  looks 
at  his  planes,  as  a  skipper  looks  at  his  sails  to  see  if  they 
are  full. 

The  great  problem  of  the  navigation  of  the  air,  which  is 
now  solved,  must  proceed.  Future  battles  will  be  fought 
in  the  air,  and  a  new  aerial  force,  different  from  the  Army 
and  Navy,  will  be  formed.  Lighthouses  on  land  will  be  erected 
by  the  Trinity  Board  to  mark  the  way  at  night.  Lamps  on 
aeroplanes  or  flyers  will  be  used  ;  with  smaller  planes  speed 
will  be  terrific — 200  miles  an  hour.  Twenty-one  miles  across 
the  Channel  means  a  very  few  minutes  ;  the  winds  at  sea 
blow  steadier  than  on  land.  Aeroplanes  can  be  made  to 
float  on  the  water  and  raise  themselves.  No  reason,  if  now 
they  can  carry  equal  to  three  passengers,  an  aeroplane  should 
not  carry  more  with  larger  planes  and  engines.  The  North 
Pole,  tropical  forests  of  Central  Africa,  Australia,  and  the 
Sahara  Desert  will  be  new  fields  for  the  explorer  to  glide 
over. 

May  the  brothers  Orville  and  Wilbur  Wright  live  for  many 
years  to  continue  and  improve  their  great  invention  of  the 
age,  the  heavier -than -air  flying  machine. 

I  will  conclude  by  reproducing  the  following 
expression  of  opinion  on  the  question  of  proprietary 
rights  in  the  air  which  I  made  in  1909.  In  view 
of  the  international  regulations  made  in  1920  in 
respect  of  aerial  traffic,  it  has  pecuUar  interest : 

The  question  of  proprietary  rights  in  the  air  is  bound  ere 
long  to  crop  up  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  all  over  the  world. 
How  it  will  be  settled — if  it  ever  is — is  problematical,  but  it 
is  fairly  certain  that  nations  will  take  steps  to  regulate  and 
supervise  the  passage  over  their   territories   of   airships   and 


872  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

aeroplanes.  So  far,  the  international  aspect  of  the  case ; 
which  is,  I  may  add,  by  far  the  most  important,  involving 
as  it  does  delicate  and  intricate  questions  of  boundaries, 
rights  of  belligerents  and  of  non-combatants  in  time  of  war, 
custom-house  duties,  and  so  on. 

With  regard  to  private  "  ownership  "  of  air-space,  old  ideas 
as  to  this  will  have  to  be  largely  modified,  for  while  it  does 
not  precisely  appear  how  a  householder,  for  example,  can 
prevent  an  aerial  craft  from  passing  high  above  his  house, 
he  certainly  ought  to  be  able  to  object  to  one  circling  round 
and  round  his  dwelling-place  at  a  low  elevation,  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  permit  of  its  occupants  peering  into  his  windows. 
This,  of  course,  is  an  extreme  case.  But  it  will  serve  to  illus- 
trate my  meaning.  The  whole  subject  is  yet  in  embryo. 
But  there  is  little  doubt  that  jurists  will  be  able,  when  the 
time  comes,  to  frame  laws  to  regulate  aviation,  precisely  as 
they  have  done  as  regards  navigation  at  sea  and  "  railroad- 
ing "  and  motoring  on  land. 


I 


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890  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

I  made  a  further  number  of  ascents  in  1908,  all  of  them 
from  Hurlingham  Club.  Among  my  feUow-passengers 
on  these  occasions  were  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Assheton-Harbord 
and  the  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls.  Count  de  la  Vaulx,  Vice- 
President  of  the  French  Aero  Club,  M.  Juliot,  engineer 
and  constructor  of  the  Patrie,  Lebaudy,  and  other  airships, 
gave  the  baptism  of  the  air  to  Gustave  Hamel,  who  was 
an  undergraduate  at  Cambridge,  in  a  voyage  from  London 
to  Peterborough.  On  May  30,  1908,  an  international 
balloon  contest  took  place  from  Hurlingham.  Thirty-one 
balloons  competed  in  a  point-to-point  race.  I  had  a  new 
balloon  made,  called  the  Icarus,  of  50,000  cubic  feet 
capacity,  and  came  in  fourth,  accompanied  by  Captain 
King,  R.E.,  Captain  Carden,  R.E.,  and  Lieutenant 
Waterlow,  R.E. 

Heavier-than-air  machines  in  the  experimental  stages 
came  in  about  this  time,  and  the  old-fashioned  balloon 
had  to  be  abandoned. 


APPENDIX   II 


The  following  letters  and  extracts  from  newspapers 
all  have  a  bearing  on  the  gradual  development  of  aero- 
nautics and  aviation  in  this  country  during  the  period 
in  which  I  interested  myself  in  the  subject. 

From  the  Daily  Mail,  December  8,  1902  : 


Balloon  Volunteer  Corps. 

Mr.  Hedges  Butler,  of  the  Aero  Club,  has  an  interesting 
project  for  the  formation  of  a  Balloon  Volunteer  Corps, 
which  he  hopes  would  act  in  conjunction  with  the  recently 
formed  Automobile  Volunteer  Corps.  Though  there  are 
only  about  twenty  balloons  in  this  country,  the  organiza- 
tion of  such  a  corps  would,  Mr.  Hedges  Butler  thinks, 
give  greatly  needed  encouragement  to  the  aeronauts 
here. 

He  points  out  that  the  balloon  sections  in  South  Africa 
during  the  war  were  far  too  smaU.  In  a  European  war 
a  much  larger  number  would  be  necessary. 

17  Ml 


392  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

Letters  to  and  from  the  War  Office  in  connection  with 
the  proposed  corps. 

War  Office, 

London,  S.W., 
December  12,  1902. 

Sir, 

I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  War 
to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  8th 
instant  on  the  subject  of  the  proposed  formation  of  a 
Volunteer  Balloon  Corps,  which  shall  receive  attention. 

I  am,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

E.  W.  D.  Ward, 
Under  Secretary  of  State. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Princes  Chambers, 

66a,  PaU  Mall,  S.W. 


War  Office, 

London,  S.W., 
January  14,  1903. 

Sir, 

With  reference  to  your  letter  of  the  8th  ultimo 
relative  to  the  proposed  formation  of  a  Balloon  Volunteer 
Corps,  I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  War 
to  acquaint  you  that  it  is  the'"usual  course  for  such  corps 
to  be  affiliated  to  an  existing  Volunteer  Corps.  It  is  there* 
fore  suggested  that  you  should  place  yourself  in  communi- 
cation   with    the    Officer    Commanding    a    Metropolitan 


THE  BALLOON  VOLUNTEER  CORPS   393 

Engineer   Volunteer   Corps   with   a   view   to   his   consent 
being  obtained  and  a  scheme  formulated. 

I  am,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)    Js.  Robb,  A.A.-G. 
p.  A.-G. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Princes  Chambers, 

56a,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 


War  Office, 

London,  S.W. 
February  21,  1903. 
Sib, 

I  am  directed  by  the  Commander-in-Chief  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  19th  instant 
on  the  subject  of  a  Volunteer  Balloon  Corps,  which  shall 
receive  attention. 

I  am.  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

Js.  Robb,  A.A.-G. 
p.  A.-G. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 

Princes  Chambers, 

66a,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 


War  Office, 

London,  S.W., 
March  25,   1903. 
Sir, 

With     reference    to    your    letters     of     the    19th 
ultimo  and  17th  instant,  relative  to  the  proposed  Volun- 


894  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

teer  Balloon  Corps,  I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of 
State  for  War  to  acquaint  you  that  it  would  be  advisable 
for  you  to  place  yourself  in  communication  with  the 
General  Officer  Commanding,  Home  District,  23,  Carlton 
House  Terrace,  S.W.,  who  will  afford  you  any  information 
you  require  and  to  whom  a  scheme  showing  the  proposed 
organization  of  the  corps  should  be  submitted. 

I  am,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  RoBB,  A.A.-G. 
'p.  A.-G. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Princes  Chambers, 

56a,  PaU  MaU,  S.W. 


Home  District  Office, 
23,  Carlton  House  Terrace,  S.W., 
A-pril  16,  1903. 

Dear  Sir, 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  31st  ultimo,  I  am 
instructed  by  the  General  Officer  Commanding  the  Home 
District  to  inform  you  that,  after  referring  the  matter 
to  the  Officer  Commanding  the  Motor  Volunteer  Corps, 
I  have  ascertained  that  the  latter  looks  favourably  upon 
the  proposal  that  a  Volunteer  Balloon  Section  should 
be  attached  to  this  Unit,  and  he  considers  that  the  two 
might  work  well  in  conjunction  with  one  another. 

Before,  however,  any  action  can  be  taken,  I  would  point 
out  that  the  scheme  you  have  submitted  is  too  indefinite. 
You  should  state  on  what  terms  balloons,  and  how  many 
of  same,  can  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Military 
Authorities,  and  what  amount  of  money  would  be  required 
to  start  and  to   keep   the  section  going.     If  you  preferj 


THE  BALLOON  VOLUNTEER  CORPS   895 

to  call  and  see  me  before  submitting  your  reply,  I  shall 
be  glad  to  interview  you  any  day  after  Sunday  next 
between  three  and  four  in  the  afternoon,  or  at  any  other 
time  by  appointment. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Yours  faithfully, 

F.  C.  RiOARDO,  Colonel, 
Chief  Staff  Officer,  Home  District. 

To  F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Princes  Chambers, 

56a,  Pall  MaU,  S.W. 


From  the  Daily  Mail,  December  14,  1906  : 

Balloon  Volunteer  Corps. 

An  official  announcement  may  shortly  be  expected  of 
the  formation  of  a  Balloon  Volunteer  Corps. 

The  War  Office  has  had  the  matter  under  consideration 
for  some  time,  and  has  practically  approved  of  it.  The 
suggestion  of  such  a  corps  was  originally  made  by  Mr. 
Frank  Hedges  Butler,  the  well-known  aeronaut,  in  the 
Daily  Mail  on  December  8,  1902.  Since  then  events 
have  progressed  rapidly,  and  with  aeroplanes  likely  to 
appear  in  practical  form  within  the  next  year  or  two, 
the  question  of  the  formation  of  such  a  corps  has  become 
urgent. 

The  proposal  is  that  the  corps  shall  be  attached  to 
the  balloon  section  of  the  Royal  Engineers,  and  not, 
as  was  first  intended,  to  the  Motor-car  Volunteers.  Nearly 
all  the  gentlemen  of  the  Aero  Club  will  join  the  new 
force. 


896  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Aeronautical  Experiments  on  Salisbury  Plain. 

War  Office, 
November  16,  1908. 
Dear  Sir, 

Sir  Edward  Ward  desires  me  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  to-day's  date,  which  shall 
have  his  early  consideration. 

Yours  faithfully, 
G.  K.  King,  Private  Secretary. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq. 


War  Office, 
November  19,  1908. 
Dear  Mr.  Butler, 

I  return  with  very  many  thanks  the  books  and 
photographs  you  so  kindly  lent  us.  They  are  most 
interesting.  May  I  congratulate  you  on  your  unique 
collection  ? 

Yours  sincerely, 

(Signed)     E.  Ward. 


War  Office, 

London,  S.W. 
February  1,  1909. 
Sir, 

With  reference  to  your  letter  of  the  16th  Novem- 
ber last  on  the  subject  of  facilities  to  be  given  to  the 
Aero  Club  to  use  War  Department  land  for  the  purpose 
of  trials  and  experiments,  I  am  commanded  by  the  Army 
CouncU  to  inform  you  that  the  Council  is  prepared  to 
grant  this  concession  if  arrangement  can  be  made  without 
interference  with  requirements  for  military  training,  on 


EXPERIMENTS   ON  SALISBURY  PLAIN  397 

which  matter  the  General  Officer  Commanding  is  being 
communicated  with. 

A  further  communication  on  the  subject  will  be  made 
to  you  in  due  course. 

I  am,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)      E.  Ward. 
F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Aero  Club, 

166,  Piccadilly,  W. 


War  Office, 

London,  S.W., 
February  17,  1909. 
Sir, 

With  reference  to  this  office  letter  of  the  1st 
instant  on  the  subject  of  facilities  proposed  to  be  given 
to  the  Aero  Club  to  use  War  Department  land  for  the 
purpose  of  trials  and  experiments  :  I  am  commanded  by 
the  Army  Council  to  inform  you  that  the  General  Officer 
i/c  Administration,  Southern  Command,  Radnor  House, 
Salisbury,  desires  to  obtain  some  further  information  as 
to  the  numbers  of  sheds  proposed  to  be  erected,  their 
dimensions,  and  what  extent  of  ground  it  would  be 
desirable  to  exclude  the  public  from. 

2.  The  Council  will  be  obliged  if  you  will  communicate 
direct  with  Major-General  F.  W.  Benson,  C.B.,  as  to 
these  details. 

I  am.  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

E.  W.  D.  Ward. 
F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 
Aero  Club, 

166,  Piccadilly,  W. 


I 


898  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Whitehall, 

London,  S.W., 
March  11,  1909. 
Dear  Sir, 

The  Army  Council  has  recently  received,  from 
gentlemen  who  are  interested  in  Aerocraft,  an  offer  to 
form  themselves  into  a  semi-military  organization  with 
a  view  to  practically  applying  the  aeroplane  to  the  uses 
of  war.  These  gentlemen  are  willing  to  bind  themselves 
together,  with  the  idea  of  placing  their  services,  aero- 
planes, and  the  recruits  they  intend  to  train  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Military  Department  in  the  event  of  this 
country  being  invaded  by  any  foreign  Power. 

The  Army  Council  is  naturally  desirous  of  accepting 
this  offer,  but  before  doing  so  it  seems  to  them  only 
right  that  certain  conditions  should  be  laid  down  which 
the  members  of  such  a  corps  as  is  contemplated  should 
be  asked  to  accept  before  official  recognition  is  granted. 
With  a  view  to  determining  what  the  nature  of  these 
conditions  should  be,  the  CouncU  is  anxious  to  obtain 
the  views  of  some  one  like  yourself  who  has  already  made 
a  study  of  the  aeroplane  and  its  uses.  I  have  been 
requested,  therefore,  to  inquire  whether  you  would  be 
willing  to  give  them  the  benefit  of  your  advice,  and,  if 
so,  would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  let  us  know  whether  it 
would  be  convenient  to  you  to  call  on  the  Adjutant- 
General  at  this  office  at  an  early  date  at  3  p.m.  Should 
you  be  able  to  do  so,  he  proposes  to  ask  Colonel  Capper 
to  come  from  Aldershot,  with  a  view  of  discussing  with 
yourself  and  him  the  formation  of  a  corps  for  the 
encouragement  of  aerocraft  in  this  country. 
Believe  me  to  be. 

Yours  faithfully, 
(Signed)     G.  F.  Ellison,  Brigadier-General. 
F.  Hedges  Bijtler,  Esq., 
Princes  Chambers, 

56a,  Pall  MaU,  S.W. 


THE  BALLOON  VOLUNTEER  CORPS   399 

Wab  Office,  Whitehall, 

London,  S.W., 

April  19,  1909. 

Dear  Mr.  Butler, 

Very  many  thanks  for  your  kindness  in  sending 
the  various  aeronautical  journals  which  accompanied 
your  letter  of  the  15th  instant.  I  have  been  away  since 
Thursday  last,  and  consequently  did  not  receive  your 
letter  till  this  morning.  The  whole  matter  is  extremely 
interesting  to  me,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  I  now  have 
very  little  to  do  with  the  formation  of  any  committees 
which  may  deal  with  the  subject  of  aeroplanes  or  balloons. 
The  matter  has  now  been  placed  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  the  Master-General  of  Ordnance,  and  I  am  merely 
one  of  several  members  of  a  Committee  which  he  has 
formed  to  consider  any  preliminary  steps  which  may  be 
taken  by  the  War  Oflfice  in  dealing  with  the  subject  of 
aeronautics  generally.  I  have  informed  the  Secretary 
of  the  Committee  of  your  kind  offer  to  help  in  the  matter 
of  accommodation  at  Reims  in  September  next,  in  case 
the  War  Office  should  be  sending  out  representatives.  I 
should  certainly  very  much  like  to  be  sent  out  myself 
as  a  representative,  but  from  what  I  have  recently  heard 
I  think  it  probable  that  I  shall  be  caught  for  manoeuvres 
just  about  that  time,  and  that,  I  fear,  would  prevent 
me  going  out.  However,  I  shall  certainly  try  to  get 
out  if  I  possibly  can. 

Again  thanking  you  for  your  kindness  in  sending  me 
the  aeronautical  journals, 

Believe  me  to  be, 

Yours  sincerely, 
(Signed)    Gerald  Ellison. 

F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 

155,  Regent  Street,  W. 


400  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 


From  The  Times,  June  25,  1909  : 

The  War  Office  and  Aeronautics. 

We  understand  that  the  War  Office  have  under  con- 
sideration a  proposal  to  form  a  corps  of  aeronauts  on 
the  same  lines  as  the  Army  Motor  Reserve.  The  corps 
would  consist  of  owners  of  balloons,  airships,  or  aeroplanes 
who  would  be  willing  to  place  themselves  and  their 
machines,  under  certain  conditions,  at  the  disposal  of 
the  War  Office. 

The  system  of  the  Army  Motor  Reserve  is  one  under 
which  the  owner  of  a  car  holds  a  commission  in  the 
Reserve  of  Officers  on  condition  that  for  a  specified 
number  of  days  in  the  year  he  places  himself  and  his 
car  at  the  disposal  of  the  military  authorities  for  use  on 
manoeuvres,  or  on  other  occasions  when  they  may  be 
required.  To  judge  by  the  success  achieved  by  the  Army 
Motor  Reserve,  the  scheme  should  commend  itself  to  all 
interested  in  aeronautics,  and  although  there  can  at 
present  be  comparatively  few  experienced  in  the  use  of 
airships  and  aeroplanes,  there  are,  at  any  rate,  a  certain 
number  who  own  balloons.  In  any  case,  the  interest 
now  taken  in  aviation  points  to  an  immediate  increase 
in  the  number  of  those  qualified  to  join  such  a  corps  as 
the  suggested  Army  Aeronautical  Reserve. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  point  out  the  value  that  a  corps 
of  this  nature  would  have  in  time  of  war,  when  every 
kind  of  airship  will  have  its  use  for  observation,  the 
direction  of  artillery  fire,  and  similar  purposes,  if  not 
for  offence.  Moreover,  the  importance  of  possessing  a 
reserve  of  skilled  and  experienced  aeronauts  must  be 
obvious  to  all. 


THE  ROYAL  AERO  CLUB  401 

Home  Office, 

Whitehall, 
February  15,  1910. 

SlE, 

I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  to  inform 
you  that  he  has  had  the  honour  to  lay  before  the  King 
your  application  of  the  10th  November  last,  on  behalf 
of  the  Aero  Club  of  the  United  Kingdom,  for  permission 
to  use  the  prefix  "  Royal  "  in  the  name  of  the  Club,  and 
that  His  Majesty  has  graciously  signified  his  pleasure 
that  the  privilege  sought  for  should  be  granted,  and  that 
the  Club  be  henceforth  known  as  the  Royal  Aero  Club 
of  the  United  Kingdom. 

I  am,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

Henry  Cunynghamb. 

Frank  Hedges  Butler,  Esq.,  F.R.G.S., 
Princes  Chambers, 

66a,  Pall  MaU,  S.W. 


From  the  Motor,  August  30,  1910  : 

Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler  Looks  Forward. 

The  original  offer  by  Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler,  less 
than  two  years  ago,  to  present  100  guineas  to  the  first 
flying  man  who  should  descend  in  a  London  park  was 
scoffed  at  by  those  who  heard  it  ;  they  thought  that 
only  madmen  would  venture  to  fly  over  houses  and  streets. 
In  exactly  the  same  way,  the  prophecies  that  Mr.  Butler 
makes  to-day  are  received  with  smiles  that  suggest  that 
his  mind  is  given  to  absurd  flights  of  fancy.  For  instance, 
people  smile  when  he  declares  that  airmen  will,  a  few 
years  hence,  descend  on  the  roof  of  the  Royal  Automobile 
Club's    new    premises,    but    such    incredulity    has    not 


402  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

deterred  him  from  beseeching  the  Committee  to  adapt 
the  construction  of  the  upper  part  of  the  building  to 
the  purposes  of  landing  stage  and  departure  platform. 
Another  novelty  to  which  he  looks  forward  is  the  intro- 
duction of  helicopters,  by  which  an  aviator  will  rise 
immediately  into  the  air,  like  a  lark,  instead  of  slithering 
along  the  ground  to  the  point  of  "  take-off."  He  expects 
this  straight  up  and  down  flight — the  direct  ascent  and 
the  flat  drop — within  a  year  or  two.  Mr.  Butler's  own 
explanation  of  his  tendency  to  indulge  in  anticipations 
is  that  he  is  a  wine  merchant,  and  that  it  has  been  his 
business  all  his  life  to  consider  the  value  of  certain 
commodities  not  as  they  are,  but  as  they  will  be  twenty 
years  ahead.  To  him  pioneer  work  is  as  the  breath  of 
his  nostrils,  and  one  can  easily  understand  how  he  came 
to  be  a  founder  member  of  the  Royal  Automobile  Club 
and  the  Aero  Club.  Even  in  holiday-making  he  tries 
to  set  a  new  fashion  ;  when  his  friends  are  journeying 
abroad  in  search  of  sunshine,  he  goes  to  Lapland  in  search 
of  the  particular  kind  of  warmth  that  he  obtains  by 
wrapping  himself  in  the  skin  of  some  big  animal. 


From  the  Evening  News,  September  23,  1910  : 

The  Tenth  Anniversary  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club. 

The  Royal  Aero  Club  of  the  United  Kingdom  cele- 
brates to-morrow  the  tenth  anniversary  of  its  founding. 
Appropriately  enough,  the  Club  was  formed  in  a 
balloon  by  three  aeronauts,  of  whom  Mr.  C.  S. 
Rolls  met  with  a  tragic  fate  at  the  Bournemouth  flying 
meeting  early  in  the  present  year,  the  others  being  Miss 
Vera  Butler  (now  Mrs.  Iltid  NichoU)  and  Mr.  F.  Hedges 
Butler.  In  those  days,  when  Santos  Dumont  had  just 
successfully  flown  round  the  Eifiel  Tower  in  his  dirigible, 


TENTH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE   R.A.C.      408 

ballooning  was  just  beginning  to  become  a  fashionable 
craze,  but  probably  the  promoters  of  the  Club  little 
anticipated  the  success  which  it  has  since  achieved. 

From  the  original  membership  of  three  the  Royal 
Aero  Club  has  grown  until  now  it  can  count  nearly 
1,500  members.  More  than  that,  it  is  acknowledged  the 
authority,  not  only  in  connection  with  ballooning,  but 
with  aviation,  and  can  boast  of  being  the  Jockey  Club 
of  the  Air.  Its  tenth  anniversary  sees  not  only  the 
dirigible  but  the  aeroplane  in  active  use  for  scouting 
purposes  at  the  Army  manoeuvres,  and  the  future 
presents  possibilities  which  all  save  a  very  few  would 
have  scoffed  at  at  the  time  when  the  Club  was  founded. 
Probably  there  is  no  body  in  the  world  which  in  such 
a  short  time  has  seen  so  great  an  advance  in  the  sport 
which  it  was  founded  to  promote. 

To  commemorate  the  tenth  anniversary  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club,  I  wrote  a  letter  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Sir  Arthur  Bigge  (now  Lord  Stamfordham),  asking  if 
His  Majesty  would  be  Patron  of  the  Club,  and  received 
the  following  reply  : 

Balmoral  Castle, 

September  25,  1910. 
Sir, 

Your  letter  of  the  23rd  instant  has  been  laid 
before  the  King.  In  reply,  I  am  commanded  to  express 
regret  that  His  Majesty  is  unable  to  accede  to  your 
request  that  he  should  become  Patron  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be.  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)    Arthur  Bigge. 

Frank  Hedges  Butler,  Esq., 

Founder  of  the  Royal  Aero  Club. 


404  FIFTY    YEARS    OF    TRAVEL 

I  naturally  received  this  reply  with  much  regret,  and 
the  Committee  and  members  still  worked  hard  to  further 
the  progress  of  aviation  and  a  great  industry. 

Success  came  later,  and  now  His  Majesty  is  Patron  of 
the  Club,  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales  Vice-Patron,  and 
H.R.H.  Prince  Albert  (now  Duke  of  York)  Chairman  of 
the  Flying  Services  Fund. 


An  Aerial  Postal  Service. 

March  13,  1911. 

Dear  Sir, 

I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  India  which 
has  been  through  an  Aerial  Postal  Service,  as  you  will 
see  by  the  postmark.  This,  I  believe,  is  the  first  service 
of  its  kind. 

If  you  consider  this  envelope  would  be  of  interest  to 
His  Majesty  the  King  for  his  weU-known  collection  of 
postage  stamps,  I  should  feel  greatly  honoured  if  you 
would  ask  His  Majesty  graciously  to  accept  it. 

Yours  sincerely, 
(Signed)    Frank  Hedges  Butler. 

Lieut. -Colonel  the  Right  Hon.  Sir  Arthur  Biqqb, 
P.C,  G.C.V.O.,  K.CB.,  K.C.M.G. 


Buckingham  Palace, 

March  14,  1911. 
Dear  Sir, 

The  King  desires  me  to  thank  you  for  your 
kindness  in  sending  him  the  envelope  of  a  letter  received 
by   you   from   India   through   an   Aerial   Postal   Service, 


AERIAL   POSTAL  SERVICE  405 

which    His    Majesty  accepts    with    much    pleasure    and 
interest. 

Yours  very  faithfully, 

(Signed)     Arthur  Bigge. 
F.  Hedges  Butler,  Esq. 


His  Majesty  King  George  V  and  Aviation. 

The  following  letter  was  received  from  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  the  Home  Department : 

Home  Office, 

Whitehall, 
March  11,  1912. 

Sir, 

I  am  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  to  say 
that  he  has  had  the  honour  to  submit  to  the  King  your 
application  on  behalf  of  the  Committee  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club  that  members  of  the  club  may  be  permitted 
to  fly  on  their  aeroplanes,  airships,  and  balloons  a  burgee 
bearing  a  representation  of  His  Majesty  and  surmounted 
by  a  Royal  Crown  (as  shown  in  a  design  which  you 
enclosed) ;  and  that  His  Majesty  has  been  graciously 
pleased  to  grant  the  permission  desired. 

I  am.  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)     G.  A.  Aitken. 

Frank  Hedges  Butler,  Esq.,  F.R.G.S., 
Princes  Chambers, 

66a,  Pall  Mall,  S.W. 


406  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Description  of  Burgee. 

Obverse. — A  portrait  medallion  of  H.M.  the  King  within 
a  wreath  of  laurel.  The  burgee  is  divided  into  four 
panels  formed  by  the  propellers  of  an  aeroplane. 

In  the  top  panel  is  the  Royal  Crown  and  year  1910, 
denoting  the  year  of  Royal  recognition.  The  three 
remaining  panels  contain  the  letters  "  R.Ae.C,"  the 
initials  of  the  Club. 

Reverse. — In  the  centre  the  Union  Jack  surrounded 
by  laurel,  and  within  the  wreath  the  year  of  the  Club's 
foundation,  1901. 

Outside  the  laurel  the  words  "  Royal  Aero  Club  of  the 
United  Kingdom." 


From  the  Motor,  January  27,  1917  : 

A  distinguished  Greneral  remarked  recently :  "  The 
war  has  done  more  to  advance  the  aims  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club  "  than  any  other  form  of  effort,  and  it  is  appro- 
priate, therefore,  that  this  "  society  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  aviation  and  aeronautics  "  should  move  from 
their  headquarters  in  Piccadilly  into  larger  premises  at 
3  Clifford  Street,  New  Bond  Street.  The  nation  owes 
a  deep  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  Royal  Aero  Club,  which 
not  only  trained  the  first  naval  officers  to  fly,  but  by 
their  interest  in  ballooning  and  aviation  created  the 
resources  that  have  proved  of  immense  value  during 
the  past  two  and  a  half  years  of  war.  So  rapidly  has 
the  movement  expanded,  so  many  hundreds  of  men  have 
become  aviators  or  interested  in  the  building  of  air 
machines,  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  old  premises 
of  the  Club  to  accommodate  them.  Now  a  building 
has  been  secured  worthy  of  the  aims  of  the  Club  and 
of  aviation. 


THE   ROYAL  FLYING    CORPS  407 

From  The  Times,  March  27,  1917  : 

The  Royal  Flying  Coeps. 

Mr.  Lee  asked  the  Under-Secretary  of  State  for  War 
whether  any  decision  has  yet  been  arrived  at  with  regard 
to  the  official  title  of  the  new  aviation  corps  ;  and  if  he 
could  state  what  arrangement  would  be  made  for  giving 
adequate  representation  at  the  War  Office  to  the  aviation 
service. 

Colonel  Seely  :  The  King  has  been  graciously  pleased 
to  approve  of  the  newly  constituted  aeronautical  branch 
of  His  Majesty's  Forces  being  styled  the  Royal  Flying 
Corps,  and  of  the  wearing  by  all  members  of  the  corps 
of  a  distinguishing  badge  with  the  Royal  Crown  super- 
imposed. Similarly,  the  Army  Aircraft  Factory,  which 
will  now  be  available  for  the  whole  aeronautical  service, 
will  in  future  be  designated  the  Royal  Aircraft  Factory. 
His  Majesty  has  granted  this  privilege  in  consideration 
of  the  specially  difficult  and  arduous  nature  of  the  flying 
service.  In  reply  to  the  second  part  of  the  question, 
the  Army  Council  have  approved  of  the  formation  of  a 
standing  committee  to  co-ordinate  action  in  dealing  with 
questions  that  arise  in  connection  with  the  corps.  The 
committee  will  sit  under  the  chairmanship  of  Brigadier- 
General  D.  Henderson,  whose  services  have  been  lent 
temporarily  by  the  Inspector-General  of  the  Home  Forces. 

From  The  Times,  August  6,  1919  : 

Royal  Aero  Club. 

Mr.  F.  Hedges  Butler,  the  founder  of  the  Royal  Aero 
Club  of  the  United  Kingdom,  has  received  the  following 
letter  from  the  Hon.  Sir  Sidney  Greville,  Comptroller 
to  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of  Wales  : 

18 


408  FIFTY    YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

York  House, 
St.  James's  Palace,  S.W., 
July  29,   1919. 

Dear  Mr.  Hedges  Butler, 

With  further  reference  to  my  letter  of  the  6th 
ultimo,  with  reference  to  the  request  that  the  Prince 
of  Wales  would  become  the  Vice-Patron  of  the  Royal 
Aero  Club,  I  have  taken  an  opportunity  of  submitting 
this  to  His  Royal  Highness,  who  desires  me  to  inform 
you  that  he  will  have  much  pleasure  in  complying  with 
the  request. 

Believe  me,  yours  very  truly, 

Sidney  Greville, 
Comptroller. 


ROYAL  AERO   CLUB 

Ar^  Appeal  Jrom  H.R.H.  Prince  Albert,  K.G,, 
in  November  1919. 

Flying  Services  Fund 

Prince  Albert,  as  chairman  of  the  Flying  Services 
Fund,  has  issued  the  following  appeal  on  behalf  of  that 
organization  : 

I  am  appealing  for  further  subscriptions  to  the  Flying 
Services  Fund,  which  is  administered  by  the  Royal  Aero 
Club.  This  fund  was  established  by  the  Club  in  1914 
for  the  benefit  of  officers  and  men  of  the  R.N.A.S.  and 
R.F.C.  (now  the  R.A.F.)  who  were  incapacitated  on 
active  service,  and  for  the  widows  and  dependents  of 
those  who  were  killed.     The  expenses  of  administrations 


THE  FLYING   SERVICES  FUND  409 

are  borne  by  the  Royal  Aero  Club,  and  all  subscriptions 
are  devoted  entirely  to  those  requiring  relief. 

The  subscriptions  received  amount  to  £15,000,  and 
the  sums  which  have  been  expended  to  date  in  grants, 
allowances,  and  the  education  of  children  amount  to 
£6,000.  The  monthly  liability  for  grants,  allowances, 
etc.,  is  about  £400,  and  the  education  of  over  300  children 
of  dependents  calls  for  an  increasing  expenditure  commen- 
surate with  their  ages.  The  committee  are  most  anxious 
to  ensure  a  proper  education  for  the  children  of  all 
dependents,  and  it  is  mainly  for  this  purpose  that  further 
subscriptions  are  required. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  necessities  of  the  fund  will 
require  it  to  be  administered  for  at  least  ten  years,  and 
in  view  of  the  very  real  assistance  we  have  been  enabled 
to  give  to  so  many  deserving  and  distressing  cases,  I 
appeal  to  all  to  subscribe  liberally  to  this  fund.  Sub- 
scriptions should  be  forwarded  to  Lord  Kinnaird,  K.T., 
Honorary  Treasurer,  Flying  Services  Fund,  Barclays 
Bank,  Ltd.,  4  Pall  Mall  East,  London,  S.W.  1,  or  to  me 
at  the  Royal  Aero  Club,  3  Clifford  Street,  London,  W.  1. 

Albert, 
Chairman. 


APPENDIX   III 


AN  HISTORIC  LUNCH  GIVEN  TO  THE  BROTHERS  ORVILLE 
AND  WILBUR  WRIGHT  AND  THEIR  SISTER,  MISS 
KATHERINE  WRIGHT,  BY  MR.  FRANK  HEDGES 
BUTLER,  AT  THE  CARLTON  HOTEL,  MAY  3,  1909,  TO 
MEET  MEMBERS  OF  THE  ARMY  COUNCIL  AND  THE 
FIRST  ENGLISHMEN  TO  MAKE  A  FLIGHT  IN  AN  AERO- 
PLANE 

1.  Mrs.   Utid  Nicholl   {n^e  Miss  Vera  Butler),  a  founder  of  the  Aero 

Club  of  the  United  Kingdom  in  1901.  Miss  Butler  was  the  first 
lady  to  gain  a  certificate  in  France  to  drive  a  motor  car.  Took 
part  in  the  1,000  miles  Automobile  Club  trial.  Made  several 
free  ascents  in  a  balloon  previous  to  her  marriage. 

2.  Hon.  C.  S.  Rolls,  M.A.,  F.R.G.S.,  son  of  Lord  Llangattock,  a  founder 

of  the  Aero  Club  in  1901.  Made  over  100  free  ascents  in  a 
balloon,  crossed  the  Channel  by  balloon  in  Gordon-Bennett  Aerial 
Race.  Made  accent  in  the  Ville  de  Paris  dirigible  balloon  in  1907, 
and  a  flight  in  an  aeroplane  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  in  1908. 

3.  Mr.   James   William  Butler,  one   of   the    founders   and   an    original 

member  of  the  Council  of  the  Aeronautical  Society  in  1866.  In 
1864  made  an  ascent  with  Monsieur  Godard  at  Cremome  Gardens 
in  a  fire  balloon;  the  furnace  was  heated  with  straw,  which  was 
tied  in  bundles  hanging  from  the  car  of  UAigle.  Made  several 
ascents  with  Mr.  Coxwell.  Took  out  patents  for  aeroplanes  in 
1867. 

4.  MR.   ORVILLE   WRIGHT,  the  inventor,  with  his    brother  Wilbur, 

of  the  aeroplane. 

5.  Miss   Katherine  Wright,  sister  of  the  brothers  Wilbur  and  Orville 

Wright,  has  made  ascent  in  a  free  balloon  and  in  her  brothers' 
aeroplane. 

6.  Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Bntler,  F.R.G.S.,  founder  of  the  Aero  Club  of 

the  United  Kingdom.  First  Hon.  Treasurer  of  the  Royal  Auto- 
mobile Club,  1897  to  1902.  Has  made  over  100  ascents  in  free 
balloon,  a  voyage  in  the  dirigible  airship  Ville  de  Paris,  now 
belonging  to  the  French  Government,  and  an  ascent  in  an  aero- 
plane with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  at  Le  Mans,  October  1908.  Record 
of  longest  distance  alone  in  a  balloon,  London  to  Corby,  Lincoln- 
shire, in  1902.  Crossed  the  Channel  twice  by  balloon.  Record 
of  the  longest  distance  in  the  widest  part,  London  to  Caen, 
Normandy,  1905.  Record  of  accompanying  the  first  lady  to  cross 
the  Channel,  1906.  Record  point  to  point,  landing  within  200 
yards,  London  to  Goring,   1907. 

7.  MR.   WILBUR  WRIGHT,  with  his  brother  Orville,  the  inventor  of 

the  aeroplane. 

410 


411 

8.  General    Sir  Charles  Hadden,   E.C.B.,   R.A.,  Master-General  of  the 

Ordnance  and  Member  of  the  Army  Council,  War  Office.  Repre- 
senting the  Army  in  the  Aerial  Navigation  Commission. 

9.  Colonel  Hugh  Iltid  Nicholl,  D.S.O.    Married,   1904,  Miss  Vera  Butler, 

daughter  of  Mr.   Frank  Hedges  Butler. 

10.  Major    Badon    Baden-Powell,     late     Scots     Guards,     Vice-President 

Aeronautical  Society;  has  made  many  free  balloon  ascents  and  a 
flight  in  an  aeroplane  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  in  1908. 

11.  Mr.    J.    T.    C.    Moore-Brabazon,    M.A.,    Trinity,     Cambridge.      Pilot 

of  the  Aero  Club,  has  made  several  balloon  ascents;  the  first 
Englishman  to  fly  alone,  going  and  returning  to  the  same  point 
in  an  aeroplane. 

12.  Oeneral  John  Spencer  Ewart,  C.B.,  Military  Secretary,  War  Office. 

13.  Mrs.     Griffith    Brewer.      Has    made   several    free    balloon    ascents, 

and  the  first  lady  to  cross  the  Channel  by  balloon  with  Mr.  F.  H. 
Butler  and  Mr.  Spencer  in  1906. 

14.  Professor    A.    K.    Huntington,    M.I.M.E.,    Professor    of    Metallurgy, 

King's  College.  Has  made  nearly  a  hundred  balloon  ascents, 
and  crossed  the  Channel  by  balloon  in  Gordon-Bennett  Aerial 
Race.  Made  flight  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  in  aeroplane  at  Le 
Mans,   1909. 

15.  Mr.    Harold   Perrin,  Secretary  of   the   Aero   Club,  one   of   the   early 

pioneers  of  the  Automobile  and  Aero  Club  movement  ;  has  made 
several  free  ascents  in  balloon. 

16.  Mr.  Griffith  Brewer.     Has    made    over    one    hundred    ascents    in  a 

balloon,  and  a  flight  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  in  aeroplane  at 
Le  Mans,  October  1908.  Taken  part  in  three  Gordon- Bennett 
Aerial  Races. 

17.  General   G.    P.  EJllison,  C.B.,  Director  of  Organization,   War  Office, 

Principal  Private  Secretary  to  Secretary  of  State  for  War. 

18.  Mr.    Roger   W.   Wallace,   K.C.,    First   Chairman   Royal   Automobile 

Club,  1897-1904.  Chairman  of  Aero  Club  since  1901.  Has  made 
several  free  balloon  ascents,  and  a  flight  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright 
in  his  aeroplane,   1909. 

19.  Colonel  Sir  Edward  W.  Ward,  K.C.V.O.,  E.C.B.,  Permanent  Under- 

Secretary  of  State,  War  Office. 

20.  Mr.   Franik   Maclean.     Has    made  several  free    ascents    in  balloon, 

and  a  flight  with  Mr.  Wilbur  Wright  at  Le  Mans  in  1909.  Took 
part  in  Gordon -Bennett  Aerial  Race,  1908.  Has  made  several 
expeditions  for  observations  of  the  eclipse  of  the  sun. 

NOTE 

Other  pioneers  of  heavier-than-air  machines  were  the  brothers  Henry 
and  Maurice  Farman,  Mr.  Fordyce,  residing  in  Paris,  and  Mr.  Short, 
who  were  unable  to  be  present. 


APPENDIX    IV 

THE    IMPERIAL    INSTITUTE    ORCHESTRA 
Founded  1894  by  Fbank  Hedgbs  Butler 


Hon.  Conductor — Mr.  Albert  Randeooeb. 
Hon.  Leader — Mr.  Louis  d'Egville. 


First  Violins. 

Mr.  d'EgvUle,  L.  {Hon. 
Leader). 

Mrs.  Ayton. 

Mrs.  Gilbey,  H.  W. 

Miss  Balcombe,  A. 

Miss  Bruce,  Mary. 

Miss  Cabrera. 

Miss  Leoni,  Florence. 

Miss  Makins,  Veronica. 

Miss  Sylvester,  W. 

Mr.  Butler,  F.  H. 
(Chairman  of  the  Or- 
chestral Committee). 

Mr.  Decker,  F. 

Mr.  Faulks,  S.  J. 

Mr.  Green,  H.  E. 

Lt. -Colonel  Macartney, 
M.  J. 

Mr.  McClintock,  F.  R. 

Mr.  McQuown,  H.  W. 

Mr.  O'Brien,  E. 

Mr.  Oldaker. 

Mr.  Richardson,  M.  T. 

Mr.  Thesiger,  A.  L.  B. 

Second  Violins. 
Mr.  Eayres,  W.  H. 

(Principal). 
Mrs.  Pennyman. 
Miss  Curtis,  C.  L. 
Miss  Gushing,  Agnes. 
Miss  Drysdale,  M.  D. 


Miss  Eteson,  E.  M. 
Miss  Hay,  Mary  E.  D. 
Miss  Hewitt,  M.  Graily. 
Miss  Leigh-Pemberton, 

D. 
Miss  Leigh-Pemberton, 

M. 
Miss  Mitchell,  Violet. 
Miss  Smith,  E.  E. 
Miss  Stopford,  Hilda. 
Miss  Wayland,  E. 
Mr.  Bevan,  Arthur. 
Mr.  Green,  H. 
Mr.  Green,  W. 
Mr.    Henderson-Clark, 

W. 
Mr.  Scott,  E. 
Mr.  Smith,  William. 
Mr.  Wardrop,  J.  C. 
Mr.  Wildman,  H. 

Violas. 
Mr.  Lawrence,  T. 

(Principal). 
Miss  Coutts-Fowlie,  F. 
Miss  Mahony. 
Mr.  Bate,  H.  V. 
Mr.  Cvu-tis,  Spencer  H. 
Mr.   Featherstone,   W. 

H. 
Mr.  Head,  W.  H. 
Mr.  Lait,  H. 
Mr.  Mahony,  H.  S. 
412 


Mr.  Orme,  G.  L. 
Mr.  Smythies,  F.  B. 

Violoncellos. 
Mr.  Hann,  W.  C. 

(Principal). 
Mrs.  Massingberd,  S. 
Hon.  Mrs.  Rowley. 
Miss  Bevan,  Ivy. 
Miss  Kingsmill,  Doro- 
thy. 
Miss  Manley-Sims,M.  A. 
Miss  Mitchell,  L. 
Mr.  Armstrong,  F.  P. 
Mr.  Cabrera,  G.,  Jun. 
Mr.  Collins,  Alfred. 
Mr.  Daws,  P. 
Mr.  Hall,  W.  C. 
Mr.  Imhof,  C.  D. 
Mr.  Mason,  E. 
Mr.  Massingberd,  S. 
Mr.  Scott,  G. 

Double  Basses. 
Mr.  Reynolds,  J. 

(Principal). 
Miss  Coutts-Fowlie,  M. 
Miss  Hanbury. 
Mr.  Black,  R. 
Mr.  Curtis,  S.  C. 
Mr.  Maney,  E.  F. 
Mr.  Randall,  H.  W. 
Capt.  Toogood,  R. 


413 


Flutes. 
Mr.  Albert  Franaella. 
Mr.  Naylor,  W.  E. 

Piccolo. 
Mr.  Reeve,  H.  W. 

Oboes. 
Mr.  Davies,  E.  W. 
Dr.  Aiisten,  H. 
Mr.  Alcock,  F. 

Cor  Anglais. 
Dr.  Austen,  H. 

Clarionets. 
Mr.  Smith,  H.  A. 
Mr.  Holme,  R.  F. 

Bass  Clarionet. 
Mr.  Einhauser,  J. 


Bassoons. 
Mr.  James,  E.  F. 
Mr.  Foreshew,  E. 
Mr.  Spottiswoode,  C. 

Horns. 
Mr.  Busby,  T.  R. 
Mr.  Mann,  T. 
Mr.  Keevill,  R. 
Mr.  Wright,  G. 
Mr.  Einhauser,  F. 

Trumpets. 
Mr.  Solomon,  J. 
Capt.  Heath,  T.  W. 
Mr.  Hogarth,  W. 

Trombones. 
Mr.  Case,  G. 
Mr.  Matt,  J. 
Mr.  Matt,  A.  E. 


Tuba. 
Mr.  Guilmartin. 

Harp. 
Madame  Audain,  Ida^ 

Pianoforte. 
Mrs.  R£indle  Holme. 

Triangle. 
Mr.  Lawford,  E.  C. 

Timpani. 
Mr.  Chaine,  V. 

Grosse     Caisse    and 

Cymbals. 
Mr.  Baker,  J. 

Side  Drum. 
Mr.  Schroeder. 


"  Her  Majesty,  with  the  King  of  the  Belgians  and  the  Eoyal 
Family,  attended  by  the  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Eoyal 
Household  and  the  Suite  of  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  were 
present  last  evening  at  a  concert  in  St.  George's  Hall,  given  by 
the  Imperial  Institute  (Amateur)  Orchestra,  118  in  number, 
which  performed  the  following  compositions  [selected  by  Her 
Majesty  Queen  Victoria] : — 


ovebture 

Pbeludb 

Suite 


Melody  . 
Entr'acte 
Waltz     . 


(3o2)  Save  tbe  <^ueen. 

.    "  Mireille  "  . 
•'  Lohengrin  " 
"  Jeux  d'Enfants  "    . 
(a)  Berceuse  (La  Poup^e). 
(6)  Duo  (Petit  Mari,  Petite  Pemme). 
(c)  Galop  (Le  Bal). 

Prom  "  Chants  du  Voyageur  "  . 
.     "  Lakm6  " 


Gounod. 

Wagner. 

Bizet. 


"Du  undDu" 


Marchb  Indienne 


Paderewski. 
Ddtbes. 
Johann  Strauss. 
A.  Sellenick. 


"  Sir    Sommers  Vine,    C.M.G.,   Assistant    Secretary    to    the 
Imperial  Institute ;  Mr.  Frank  Hedges  Butler,  Chairman  of  the 


414  FIFTY   YEARS    OF   TRAVEL 

Orchestral  Committee  ;  Mr.  Albert  Eandegger,  hon.  conductor ; 
Mr.  Louis  d'Egville,  hon.  leader;  and  Mr.  Claude  Johnson, 
Secretary  to  the  Orchestral  Committee,  had  the  honour  of  being 
presented  to  Her  Majesty. 

"  Eefreshments  were  served  in  the  Audience  and  Presence 
Chambers  for  the  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Orchestra. 

"  Lady  Elizabeth  Meade,  Baroness  von  Egloffstein,  Lady 
Parratt  and  -Miss  Bigge  were  included  amongst  those  invited 
to  be  present  at  the  Concert." — Morning  Post,  Court  Circular, 
December  9,  1895. 


INDEX 


Aden, 177 

Aero  Club,  the,  306 ;  foundation 
of,  309-13 ;  registration  as  a 
company,  314  ;  preliminary  cir- 
cular, 315-16  ;  Committee,  316  ; 
inaugviral  ascent,  319 ;  first 
race,  340  ;   see  Royal  Aero  Club 

Aero  Club  of  France,  313,  320,  348 

Aero  Club  No.  2,  balloon,  321  ; 
No.  3,  343 

Aeroplane,  flight  from  Cologne  to 
Kenley  in,  303-5 

Aeroplane  flights,  348-72  ;  author's 
first,  370 

Aeroplanes,  enemy,  227,  235,  254, 
258,  281,  286 

Agra,  73 

Air,  proprietary  rights  in  the,  371-2 

Air  post,  Cologne  to  London,  302  ; 
letter  from  India  sent  to  King, 
304-5 

Air  raids  on  Paris,  286,  291 

Airship  flights,  author's  first,  355  ; 
Mr.  Rolls's  account  of,  356-69 

Albert,  298 

Algeciras,  295 

Alhambra,  the,  61 

Allenby,  Lord,  231 

Alsace-Lorraine,  wines  of,  280 

Alten  Forest,  142 

Alto  Douro,  vintage  in,  65 

American  Army  in  France,  291 

Andamanese,  the,  81 

Andaman  Islands,  the,  81 

Angostura,  64 

Arctic  seasons,  137 

Are,  130 

Army  of  Occupation,  the,  301 

Arraa,  298 

Artillery,  French,  228,  242,  248,  258 

Askaris,  178 

Aseheton  Harbord  Cup,  the,  344 


August  1914,  217-18 

Aurora,  the,  in  Lapland,  162,  172 

Autocar,  The,  309,  313 

Automobile  Club  Notes  and  Notices, 
309 

Automotor  Journal,  The,  309 

Automobile  Club  of  France,  93,  94, 
218 

Automobile  Club  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland,  94  ;  early  history, 
94-5  ;  registration  and  forma- 
tion as  a  company,  94-5  ;  314, 
316  ;  see  Royal  Automobile  Club 

Automobile  Volunteer  Corps,  320 

Balloon  ascents,  author's  hundred, 
308-47 ;  inaugural  ascent  of 
Aero  Club,  319  ;  author's  first 
solo,  319-20  ;  log  of  his  ascents, 
398-400 

Balloon  races  in  1907,  289;  first 
Aero  Club  race,  343 ;  Gordon- 
Bennett  race,  344 ;  for  the 
Assheton  Harbord  Cup,  344, 
347 ;  for  the  Hedges  Butler 
Challenge  Cup  (in  a  thunder- 
storm),  352,   356 

Balloon  Volunteer  Corps,  suggested, 
320  ;  history  of,  391-5  ;  398-400 

Ballooning,  description  of  sensa- 
tions during,  and  practical  hints, 
321-7  ;  descents,  326-7 

Barbadoes,  the,  33 

Baudot,  M.  and  Mme.,  285-6 

Bayona,  Count  and  Countess,  57,  61 

Bayonne,  290-1 

Bears  in  Lapland,  161 

Beaune,  92,  273 

Benz  motors,  93  ;  cars,  06 

Bergen,  27,  133 

Bernhardt,  Sarah,  272 

Bertemati,  Sefior,  68 


416 


416 


FIFTY  YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 


Betheny,  245 ;  bombardment  of, 
246;  247 

Biarritz,  56,  289 

Big-game  hunting  in  East  Africa, 
177-214  ;  conditions  and  licen- 
ces, 183-7 

Bird,  Mr.  Alfred,  M.P.,  103 

Bois-de-Boulogne  in  war-time,  223 

Boizel,  M.  and  Mme.,  227,  240,  280, 
281 

Bolivar,  52,  54 

Bombay,  68 

Bordeaux,  55 ;  French  Govern- 
ment leaves  for,  218  ;  289,  298 

Bosskop,  Lapp  fair  at,  137 

Boulogne,  British  base  during  war, 
239,  252,  274 

Boursault,  shooting  at,  280 

Box's  cricket  ground,  Brighton,  21 

Brighton  run,  the  historic,  94 

Brighton,  schooldays  at,  19,  21 

Brill's  Baths,  21 

British  East  Africa,  177-214  ;  game 
licences  in,  183-7 ;  a  white 
man's  country,  214 

British  Guiana,  33,  42 

Bull-fight  at  Seville,  297 

Burgundies,  117 

Burmah,  tour  through,  68  ;  77-8 

Burmese  women,  77 

Butler,  Frank  Hedges,  birth,  18 ; 
schooldays,  18-20  ;  founds  Aero 
Club,  309,  314,  315  ;  first  solo 
balloon  ascent,  319  ;  Challenge 
Cup  offered  by,  352,  355  ;  first 
flight  in  dirigible,  355-69  ;  in 
aeroplane,  370 ;  account  of 
flight,  370-1  ;  log  of  balloon 
ascents,  374-90  ;  offer  to  flying 
man  landing  in  London  park, 
401  ;  gives  dinner  to  the  Wright 
brothers,  410-11  ;  founds  Im- 
perial Institute  Orchestra,  412 

Butler,  James,  18 

Butler,  Miss  Vera,  92,  104 ;  her 
diary  of  journey  to  Tetuan,  121- 
8  ;  foundation  member  of  the 
Aero  Club,  308-9  ;  account  of 
foundation  of  the  Club,  310-13  ; 
makes  inaugural  ascent,  319 ;  327 

Butler,  WiUiam,  21 


Calais,  21,  22,  218 

Calao,  El,  gold-mines  at,  64 

Calcutta,  76 

Cannes,  111 

Captive  balloon,  ascent  in,  57 

Caribee,  41 

Cartuja,  monks  at,  57 

Casa  Blanca,  128 

Cashmere,  68,  73,  75 

Cashmeri  boat-girls,  76 

Ceylon,  s.s.,  67 

Ceylon,  visit  to,  68,  81 

Chalons,  223,  224,  268 

Champagne  -  cellars      at       Reims, 

231  ;    Pommery's  shelled,  231  ; 

wounded  in  Mumm's,  231  ;  Rui- 

nart's  and  Heidsieck's,  248,  251 ; 

school  in,  251  ;    Mass  in,  257  ; 

refugees  in,  257 ;  concert  in,  261  ; 

school  in,  262 
Champagnes,     at     Epemay,     224 ; 

the  1911  vintage,  232 ;  the  1914- 

15  vintages,  305 
Channel,    crossing    the,    in     1873, 

21-2 ;     in   war-time,    218,    263, 

274,    279;    by    aeroplane,    304, 

305 
Chartreuse,    La    Grande,     112-13; 

a  theft  at,  117 
Chasseurs-d-pied,  the,  247 
Chenevix-Trench,  Captain,  75 
Cheyne,  the  Misses,  18 
Chicago,  28 

City  of  York,  balloon,  319 
Club    de    Ceux    qui    sont    Rest^s, 

Reims,  286 
Coblenz,  299-301,  302 
Coleman,  A.,  27,  28 
Cologne     during    the     Occupation, 

301 
Cologne  to   Kenley   by  aeroplane, 

303-4 
Colombo,  89 

Commune,  the  Paris,  signs  of,  24 
Cordova,  61 
Crocodiles    at    Ripon    Falls,    191  ; 

hunting  on  Lake  Victoria  Ny- 

anza,  197 
Cuckoos  heard  from  balloon,  339 
Cumana,  42 
Cumanacao,  43 


INDEX 


417 


Daimler  engines,  96 

Dalecarlia,  129 

Dar-es-Salaam,  178 

De  Dion  engines,  104 

Dead  Sea,  the,  68 

Diary  habit,  the,  18 

Dijon,  291 

Dirigibles,  see  Airships 

Dogs,  Lapp,  157 

Dolce  Far  Niente,  balloon,  339,  343, 

344,  347,  352 
Dooner,  Major,  203 
"  Dragon's  Mouth,"  the,  37 

East  Africa,  hiinting  trip  to,  177- 

214 
Easter  in  Lapland,  175 
Enare,  158,  174 
Enare,  Lake,  161 
Entebbe,  188,  191-2 
Epemay,   in    1914,    224,    227 ;     in 

1915,    239 ;     vintage    at,    240 ; 

241  ;    in    1917,   280 ;    in    1918, 

291 ;  in  1919,  298 
Exposition  d' Automobiles,  93 

Factory    Club,    the.     Oporto,     66, 

297-8 
Fefor,  130,  133 
Fere-Champenoise,  223 
Fever,  jungle,  54 
Finnish  Lapland,  152 
Finnish  vapour-bath,  159-61 
Finse,  133 
Five  Thousand  Miles  in  a  Balloon, 

321 
Flying  Corps,  the,  309 
Flying  fish,  37 
Flying  Services  Fxmd,  408-9 
France,  first  visit  to,  21 
Franco-German  War,  21 

Game,  abundance  of  in  East  Africa, 

203-4  ;   see  Big-game 
Game  licences  in  British  East  Africa, 

183-7 
Gas  shells  in  Reims,  275 
George     V,     His     Majesty,     401  ; 

patron  of  Royal  Aero  Club,  404, 

405 
German  East  Africa,  178 


Grerman  prisoners  at  Beaune  and 

Chissy,  273-4 
German  trenches,  view  of,  242,  247 
Germans.harshness  of  to  negroes,178 
Gibraltar,  294,  295 
Gipsies  at  Jerez,  57-8 
Glorious  dead,  the,  347 
Gordon-Bennett  balloon  race,  344, 

347 
Granada,  61  ;   gipsies  at,  61-2  ;  296 
Grand  Tour,  the,  17-18 
Great  Lakes,  the,  28 
Green,  the  Rev.  George,  21 
Grenoble,  116 
Guacharo,  the,  45-6,  51 
Guacharo  butter,  45-6 
Gu£icharo  Caverns,  the,  44-51 
Guacharo,  Valley  of  the,  43 
Guana-guana,  52 
Guides,  the,  74 

Harems,  Moorish,  Miss  Butler  visits, 
124 

Harmsworth,  Mr.  Alfred,  103 

Haut  Brion,  Chateau,  56 

Havre,  286 

Hawley,  Mr.  Alan,  348,  351 

Hedges,  Butler  &  Co.  :  staff  volun- 
teer for  war,  218  ;  250th  anni- 
versary of  firm,  276  ;  partners 
in,  276 

Hedges  Butler  Challenge  Cup,  352 

Hedges,  Mary  Frances,  18 

Heidsieck's  cellars,  248,  251,  254 

Hehnets,  steel,  239,  245 

Hippopotami  at  Ripon  Falls,  191  ; 
hunting,  on  Victoria  Nyanza,197 

Hodson,  Lieutenant,  73 

House-boats  in  Cashmere,  75 

Howling  monkeys,  53-4 

Humboldt,  17 

Humming-birds,  43 

Imperial  Listitute  Orchestra,  412- 

13 
Lidia,  tovu*  through,  68-76,  81 
Indians,  South  American,  51-2 
Iron-mines  at  Kirkeness,  164 
Irrawaddy  River,  the,  77 
Isharajoki  River,  the,  152 
Italian  Lakes,  the,  22,  27 


418 


FIFTY  YEARS   OF  TRAVEL 


JaSa,  67 

Jamaica,  33-4 

Jerez -de-Ia-Frontera    (Xeres),    67  ; 

gipsies  at,  57-8  ;  296 
Jerusalem,  Easter  at,  67-8 
Jeypore,  68,  73 
Joffre,  Marshal,  proclamation  by, 

240 
Johnson,  Mr.  Claude,  313 

Kampala,  192 

Kandy,  82 

Karajok,  150-1 

Karesuando,  174 

Karujokka  River,  the,  155 

Kavirondos,  the,  198  ;  funeral  cere- 
mony of,  198,  203 

Keith-Falconer,  Captain,  73-4 

Kenya  Colony,  177 

Kerri,  the  Lapp  horse-sledge,  155 

Khiva,  S.S.,  293 

Khyber  Pass,  the,  74 

Khyber  Rifles,  the,  74 

Kikuyus,  the,  203 

King,  Captain  A.  de  C,  344,  347, 
352 

Kirkeness,  162,  163-4 

Kola  Peninsula,  the,  171-2 

EJrug,  Maison,  252 

Kyjabe,  lion-hunt  at,  203 

Lafite,  Maison,  55 

Landes,  the,  289 

Lapland  and  its  people  (129-76) : 
rest-houses  in,  148,  150,  158 ; 
wolves  in,  150,  152 ;  forests 
and  rivers,  155 

Lapland,  Russian,  161 

Lapp  characteristics,  134 ;  food, 
147  ;  ski -runners,  151  ;  women, 
beauty  of,  156  ;  character,  173  ; 
hoiises,  173-4 ;  physical  types, 
174 ;  religion,  175-6 ;  Easter 
marriages,  176 ;  bridal  dress, 
176 

Latour,  Chateau,  56 

Lawley,  Sir  Arthur,  188 

Le  Bourget  aerodrome,  306 

Lee,  Lord,  269 

Lenoir  patents,  96 

Lens,  298 


Lensmen,  Lapp,    150-1,    169,    165, 

166 
Letters  dropped  from  the  air,  305 
Levassor,  96 
Levy,  Sir  Isaac,  33-4 
Lion  d'Or,  the,  at  Reims,  224,  235, 

241  ;  demolished,  248  ;  253,  261, 

282,  299 
Lions,  news  of,  203  ;  habits  of,  204  ; 

author  kills  a  lioness,  204,  207  ; 

round  camp  at  night,  207 
Lloyd  George,  Rt.  Hon.  David,  268, 

269 

Madeira,  128 

Madras,  81 

Madrid,  297 

Malaga,  62 

Mandalay,  77 

Manzanares,  River,  the,  42 

Margarita,  Isla  di,  37-8,  41 

Margaux,  Chateau,  56 

Mass  in  champagne-cellars  during 

bombardment,  242,  245 
Maturin,  42 
Mazagan,  128 
Mediterranean  tour,  a,  31-2  ;  cruise 

in  1885,  67-8 
M6doc  district,  the,  55 
Mercier,  Lieutenant,  34 
Mines,  danger  from,  294 
Mogador,  128 
Mombasa,  178 
Monkeys,    howling,    53-4 ;    sacred, 

73 
Mont  Blanc,  ascent  of,  92 
Monte  Carlo,  111 
Montmort,  281 
Morocco,  120-8 
Motor-boats  on  the  Rhine,  302 
Motor-car,  author's  first  experience 

of    a,    92  ;     his    first    car,    96 ; 

named    instead    of    nvunbered, 

102,  103 
Motor  Car  Journal,  The,  309,  313 
Motoring,   early  days   of,   92-117; 

first  experiences,  96,  99-100 
Mumm's     cellars,     conmaandeered 

during  the  war,  231  ;    Mass  in, 

242,  245 
Murillo,  61,  297 


INDEX 


419 


Munnan  Coast,  the,  134,  159,  172  ; 

Polar  night  on  the,   172 ;  the 

interior,  173 
Murree,  74 
Muru,  River,  the,  197 

Nairobi,  203 

Names  of  early  motor-cars,  100,  103 

Nancy,  1916,  264 ;  bombardment 
of,  264,  267  ;  in  1917,  279-80,  291 

Navatino,  38,  41 

New  York,  28 

Niagara,  28 

Nice,  HI 

Northcliffe,  Lord,  103,  252 ;  de- 
scription of  Reims  by,  253-4 

Nowshera,  73 

Odde,  27 

Oporto,  62,  66,  297 

Orinoco,  the,  51,  52,  54 

Fampata,  38 
Panhard,  96 
Paris,    after    the    Commune,    22 ; 

Exhibition    of    1878,  5&-7,    93, 

117;     in    war-time,    218,    223; 

in  1918,  air  raid  on,  286,  289  ; 

air  raid  on,  291-2  ;  in  1919,  298 
Paris  air  route,  304-5 
Paris-Marseilles  motor  race,  92 
Pasvikelf,  River,  the,  164 
Peshawar,  74 
Petchenga,  monastery  at,  163,  167  ; 

restoration  of,  168  ;   description 

of,  168-71 
Petchenga,  River,  the,  134 
Petrol  at  sevenpence,  100 
Peugeot  car,  the,  93 
Philadelphia  Centennial  Exhibition, 

27 
Phylloxera,  65 

Phylloxera  Commission,  the,  65 
Poincard,  M.,  247 
Pol  Roger,  M.,  224,  240,  282 
Pommery    champagne-cellars,  231, 

232 
Pommery,   Pare,   242,    248 ;    forts 

in,  248,  258 
Porlama,  37,  41 
Port  Florence,  188,  192 


Portugal,  visits  to,  62 

Price,  Julius,  235 

Prince    of    Wales,   Vice-Patron   of 

Royal  Aero  Club,  408 
Princess  Royal,  H.M.S.,  217 
Providentia,  Isla  di,  41 
Ptarmigan,  166 
PuUca,  the  Lapp,  142 

Quebec,  28 

Ramadan,  122,  295 

Ranelagh,  100,  343 

Rangoon,  77 

Rattvik,  129 

Reims,  in  war-time,  224,  227 ; 
cellars  in,  231-2  ;  night  attack 
on  and  bombardment  of,  232, 
235 ;  in  1915,  241  ;  in  1916, 
252 ;  bombardment  of,  253-4, 
257 ;  the  Germans  in,  261 ;  in  the 
autumn  of  1916,  268  ;  hospital 
burned,  268 ;  bombardment 
described  by  Archbishop,  274-6 ; 
gas  shells  in,  275  ;  in  1917,  282, 
285  ;  in  1919,  299 

Reims  Cathedral,  burned,  224, 
227 ;  ascent  of  tower,  228 ; 
232,  235,  242,  247,  274,  276-6, 
282,  299 

Reims  Club,  the,  251 

Reindeer,  habits  of,  142  ;  value 
of,  to  the  Lapps,  145-6 ;  harness, 
148  ;  method  of  feeding,  155  ; 
a  great  herd  of,  156 ;  lassoing, 
157  ;  Russian,  161 

Renault  brothers,  104 

Renault  car,  104 ;  trial  of,  108, 
111-12,  117 

Rhine,  Army  of  the,  301 

Rhine,  trip  down  the,  299-303; 
motor  boats  on  the,  302 

Rhine  wines,  302-3 

Ripon  FaUs,  188-91 

Roberts,  Lord,  73 

Robertson,  Sir  William,  301,  303 

Roederer's  cellars,  concert  in,  261 

Rolls,  the  Hon.  C.  S.,  308,  309,  313, 
320,  327,  347 ;  account  of 
dirigible  trip  by,  355-69  ;  first 
ascent  in  aeroplane,  370 


420 


FIFTY   YEARS   OF   TRAVEL 


Romsdal,  145 

Rothschild,  Baron,  55 

Royal  Aero  Club,  the,  401  ;  anni- 
versary of,  402-3 ;  bvirgee  of, 
405-6  ;  effect  of  war  on,  406  ; 
407-9 

Royal  Air  Force,  the,  309 

Royal  Automobile  Club,  103,  309 

Royal  Automobile  Club  Journal,  The, 
310-11 

Royal  Flying  Corps,  407 

Ruinart's  cellars,  232,  251 

Russia,  travelling  in,  94 

Russian  Lapland,  152,  164-5 

Safari,  the  delights  of,  208 

Salisbury  Plain,  aeronautical  experi- 
ments on,  396-7 

Salomons,  Sir  David,  93 

San  Lorenzo,  the  Duke  of,  58 

Saratoga,  31 

Savannahs  of  South  America,  52 

Schooldays,  18-20 

Schumacher,  Dr.,  178 

Selous,  Captain,  177 

Senlis,  German  atrocities  at,  223 

Seville,  58,  61,  294 

Shells  in  Reims,  255 

Sherries,  57 

Simms,  Mr.  F.  R.,  94 

Ski-ing,  137  ;  in  Lapland,  151 

Skolteby,  166 

Snow,  sleeping  in  the,  1 65-6 

Somme  Campaign,  the,  263 

Spain,  visits  to,  57,  295 

Spanish  frontier  closed,  290 

Spanish  Town,  Jamaica,  33-4 

Spencer,  Mr.  Percival,  328 

Spencer,  Mr.  Stanley,  306 

Sportsman,  The,  370 

Srinagur,  75,  76 

Stockholm,  129 

Storlien,  130,  133 

Strasbourg,  299 

Sturrock,  Mr.  J.,  192 

Sun,  eclipse  of  the,  seen  from 
balloon,  331-2 

Switzerland,  walking  toTir  through, 
21-2  ;  second  tour,  22,  27 

Taj  Mahal,  the,  73 


Tana,  River,  the,  155 

Tanga,  178 

Tanganyika  Territory,  178 

Tangiers,  31-2,  67,  120,  121,  244-5 

Tannforsen,  130 

Teneriffe,  128 

Tetuan,  Miss  Butler's  diary  of  visit 

to,  120-8 
Theebaw,  King,  77 
Thousand  Mile  Tour,  1900,  103-4, 

107 
Thunderstorm,     balloon    race     in, 

352 
Thurri,  Johann,  the  author's  Lapp 

servant,  163 
Tiger,  River,  the,  53 
Toul,  267 

Trail-rope,  trailing,  in  balloons,  326 
Trinidad,  34,  37,  54 
Tryphon,  the  story  of,  167-8 
Tunbridge  Wells,  first  motor  show 

at,  93 
Turner-Farley,  Mrs.  and  Miss,  208 

Uganda,  177-214 
Uganda,  King  of,  the,  192 

Vadso,  162-3 

Vapoiir  bath,  Finnish,  159-61 

Varanger  fjord,  the,  134 

Vasco  da  Gama,  17 

Veddah  country,  the,  85-6 

Veddahs,  the,  81,  86 

Vend6me  Column,  the,  22 

Vera,  balloon,  328 

Vigo,  62 

Ville  de  Paris,  dirigible,  306  ;  trip 
in  the,  355-69 

Vineyards  of  France,  Spain  and 
Portugal,  55-66 

Vintage  of  1914,  224;  of  1911, 
232;  of  1915,  240;  of  1870, 
241;  of  1916,  268;  of  1915, 
on  the  Rhine,  300;  of  1914, 
304;    of  1915,  304 

Vintage  wines,  93 

Viper  Island,  81 

War,  the  World,  217-92 
War  zone,  1919,  298 
West  Indies,  the,  33,  55 


INDEX 


421 


White  Fathers,  the,  192 

Wimbledon  Park,  18 

Wine,  "  poilu,"  267 

Wines,    att    Champagne,    Madeira, 

Sherries,  Vintages,  etc. 
Wolves,  in  Lapland,  145,  150,  161 
Wright  aeroplane,  first  passengers 

taken  up  in,  369-70 
Wright    brothers,   the,   the   author 

gives  a  dinner  to,  410-11 


Wright,  Lieutenant,  344,  347 
Wright,  Orville,  352,  371 
Wright,  Wilbur,  348-52,  370-1 

Xeres,  set  Jerez-de-la-Frontera 

Yquem,  Chateau  d',  56 

Zanzibar,  183 
Zebras,  203 


Printed  in  Great  Britain  iy 

UNWIN  BItOXHEBS,  IiIMITBD 
WOKING  XXD  LONDO* 


PLEASE  DO  NOT  REMOVE 
CARDS  OR  SLIPS  FROM  THIS  POCKET 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO  LIBRARY 


G  Butler,   Frank  Hedges 

^3  Fifty  years  of  travel  by 

S^76  land,   water,   and  air